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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23079064">Life, Redux</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/jakku_ghost/pseuds/jakku_ghost'>jakku_ghost</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Naruto</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Bisexual Female Character, Do I know what I'm doing... no...., F/F, F/M, Isekai, Other, Other characters to be added...., Other tags to be added because I'm not sure how this works!, Slow Burn</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 10:40:20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>40,016</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23079064</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/jakku_ghost/pseuds/jakku_ghost</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“Dying is an art, like everything else. I do it exceptionally well.” ~ Sylvia Plath.</p>
<p>A second chance was not something that I ever had on my cards, but I might as well make the most of it. And if I could make life slightly more bearable for those who I met along the way, then so be it.</p>
<p>AKA: Who would have thought that being transported to another universe could have such a positive effect on your emotional wellbeing?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Hatake Kakashi/Original Female Character(s), Uchiha Itachi/Original Female Character(s)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>290</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>800</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. A Quick Death and the Slug Princess</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>I had honestly never been much of a Naruto fan. It was something that I used to bond with my brother, for sure, but it wasn’t something that I had an independent interest in. Nevertheless, it had marked my childhood. My brother and I hadn’t had the easiest life, and Naruto was something that we could use to not only escape, but to thrive in a reality that might have otherwise broken us.</p><p>I knew the basics. The main plotlines, the main antagonists, the basic structure of the universe. None of that managed to prepare me for a life in that foreign and far-away world.</p><p>My life on Earth hadn’t been excellent, although I had certainly been luckier than most. It was just… that everything became so overwhelming and I no longer had the power to push through it. I wasn’t pleased when I opened my eyes in the morning. I was exhausted. I was done. I was young, but I felt like I had already spent everything I had simply by surviving to the tender age of 24.</p><p>I had my brother, I had my mum, I had a handful of close friends and I had my girlfriend. My father, who had broken me apart in so many different ways, managed to make all of those positive relationships seem insignificant. It was those thoughts, those feelings, that fear of an overwhelming nothingness that led me to the end. I was tired, I reasoned, and I deserved to take a break. A long break.</p><p>I closed my eyes and expected nothingness. And I was wrong, as usual.</p><hr/><p>I opened my eyes (an unexpected and entirely unwelcome result) in a forest. Surrounded by leaves. I was conscious of my body, resting on an uncomfortable mix of damp, dead leaves and broken branches. I could smell the water in the air (it must have just rained… or there was a storm coming) and a tentative test of my arms proved that I was largely unable to move them.</p><p>There was something else…. a hot, tight pain in my legs. I tried to scan my body, to figure out what was wrong, but my vision was blocked by my long blonde hair. Time to test my voice, then.</p><p>“Help?” I tried, finding my voice to be high-pitched and thin, “Anyone?”</p><p>There was no answer, only the ominous shudder of the sky and I knew that another storm was on the way. Dying of exposure had never really been at the top of my list of things to do.</p><p>As I tried to reconcile my likely fate, I heard a rustling in the bushes nearby, and a voice carried by the wind. I tried again.</p><p>“Hello?” I called, trying to be louder this time, “Is someone there?”</p><p>The voice that had carried to my ear stopped. I tried again to stand, to move, to do anything but found that the pain in my legs only spread up, up, towards the base of my skull. My eyes fluttered dangerously, and I swore I could see black dots break through my field of vision.</p><p>There was a crunching sound, dead leaves falling away underfoot, and I shuddered into nothingness once again.</p><hr/><p>Beep.</p><p>My eyes cracked open, unwilling and heavy.</p><p>Beep.</p><p>White walls, white bedsheets, and the strong smell of starch. My arms instinctively lifted to cover my face and I was met with some resistance. I tried to pull against it, but that quickly proved to be futile, so I dropped them again.</p><p>“Congratulations.” A dry female voice floated across the room, “You’re alive.”</p><p>I tried to clear my throat but found it was dry. A hand grasped the back of my head and tipped water down my aching throat – I coughed, spluttered, swallowed.</p><p>“Where am I?” My voice was tight and unused, but whoever was assisting me didn’t seem to mind or take notice.</p><p>“That wouldn’t be my first question, but since it seems to be important to you, I’ll let you in on the secret – you are in a military field hospital, located somewhere in Amegakure. I’d give you the specifics, but to be honest I lost track of our exact location some time ago.”</p><p>My brain felt like it was operating in fits and starts, but I held onto that one word – Amegakure – and felt a dull realisation blossom. I managed to open my left eye, begging it to focus on the face of the woman who was currently regarding me with a bemused, if cautiously concerned, expression.</p><p>Tsunade Senju. The slug princess, one of the legendary sanin, the godaime hokage of the Village Hidden in the Leaves.</p><p>She was younger than I remember her being in the anime, but there was no mistaking her. The purple diamond tattoo in the middle of her forehead was the final proof I needed. I was lying on a small, medical cot (too large for my adult body, I distantly realised, I shouldn’t be able to fit on this) and Tsunade Senju was sitting on a wire chair next to me. The white walls were little more than the canvas coverings of a circular tent. Voices floating through from outside carried shattered phrases that were too far away for my brain to process.</p><p>In fact, I could do little more than think – holy shit.</p><p>Tsunade must have noticed my expression, her kind eyes hardening slightly and her hand dropping the back of my head onto my pillow. Her lips parted;</p><p>“So, since you’ve gotten your first question in, it’s time for one of mine.” She crossed her arms against her (admittedly spectacular) chest and eyeballed me. I felt my head twitch involuntarily under her gaze.</p><p>“What on earth was a young girl with broken legs, no discernible training and a wild chakra signature doing in a warzone?”</p><p>Again, my fuzzy brain held onto one part of her sentence – young girl – and I managed to scan my body for the first time since I had woken up on the forest floor. I was missing most of myself, I realised with a shock. I had small legs, small arms, tiny hands. I couldn’t have been more than three or four years old. That thought alone sent me into a panic, my chest heaving as I tried desperately to work more air into my small lungs.</p><p>Tsunade’s eyes widened, and she moved to rest a single hand on the center of my chest. I saw a green light envelop her hand, and felt some strange energy spark and move through me. Calming me, giving me the time I needed to think through my situation.</p><p>I was in Naruto. I had fallen out of one life and into another, into the body of a young girl somewhere near Amegakure at some point in the Third Shinobi World War. Not only was this a completely insane turn of events, I knew that this was just all-around a bad time to be alive. Tsunade was right – I’d landed in a warzone, and for all she knew I was a member of the opposing side. But how do I explain any of this to a battle-hardened woman who had clearly done me a favour so far by simply keeping me alive?</p><p>I decided to go with the truth – or, at least, as close to the truth as I could get.</p><p>“I don’t remember.” I croaked out, and Tsunade withdrew the hand on my chest, “I remember waking up in the forest, on the leaves, and…” And I’m a little kid, I forced myself to remember, and while little kids in Naruto are more advanced than what I’m used to, I need to try and sell that at least a little, “And….” I let my voice trail off, “I don’t remember… where mama or… papa are.”</p><p>I hated myself a little for immediately going with sad war-orphan but this was really a matter of thinking on my feet. Tsunade’s face softened almost imperceptibly.</p><p>“Do you know anything about this war?” She murmured, and I thought I could tell (or maybe I was just hoping) that there was a sadness about her.</p><p>I tried to shake my head, found that the motion hurt, and I whimpered. Again, Tsunade reached around to the base of my skull and I could feel that strange power rushing through me.</p><p>“You should sleep.” Tsunade’s voice wasn’t harsh, but I caught the weariness in it. “I’ll decide what to do with you in the morning.”<br/>The last thing I saw before my eyes closed was the necklace hanging heavily around Tsunade’s neck.</p><hr/><p>It was decided that I would be taken to the Konoha orphanage. I gathered, rather than knew, that the war was essentially at an end. Turns out that no-one is particularly interested in discussing politics with an injured toddler.</p><p>There wasn’t really anywhere else for me to go, Tsunade had explained that much to me, and I understood that there wasn’t anyone… left… in the surrounding civilian villages for them to dump me with.</p><p>So, here I was, burdening a small platoon of war-weary Konoha shinobi with my existence. Tsunade was at least vaguely civil to me, but if I was right she had already suffered through the loss of both her brother and her lover, and this trip back to Konoha would be her last until Naruto and a certain toad sage came looking for her…</p><p>Tsunade had managed to heal my legs, so I was at least able to waddle along behind the ninja most the time. Unlike what I imagined, there was no leaping through trees. It was apparent to me that the ninja I was traveling with were simply too exhausted to expend any energy to move at a faster pace, and the constant rain was a bitter reminder of how far from home they were. Only Tsunade seemed to have any energy left, but she was weighed down by a sadness that I knew I didn’t have the power to shift.</p><p>We would set up camp every second night, the ninja sleeping in shifts and me trying to keep out from under their feet. Eventually, the rains came less and less frequently, and I hoped that we were close to the border of the Land of Fire.</p><p>I had some time to consider my position on the trip. There was an awful, cold distant feeling in my heart when I tried to think about my old life, about my family, my friends, my girlfriend. I was familiar with the idea of reincarnation, but I had always thought that ‘being reborn’ literally meant… well, being reborn. But I had simply been inserted into the body of a girl who must have had a life. Was she mourning her old life, as I was mourning mine? Maybe, we had died together, at the same time across different dimensions? Maybe our souls had crossed, gotten lost, and she had ended up in the body of a 24-year-old woman with no idea of how she had gotten there? Maybe –</p><p>My thoughts were cut short when I hit something solid. Something that smelt like peat, and dirt, like it had just come from the forest floor. I looked up and stared into the yellow, slitted eyes of Orochimaru.</p><p>My blood went cold.</p><hr/><p>I had fainted, which Tsunade assured me in an amused voice tinged with alcohol, was not an entirely uncommon response to meeting the notorious sanin. Orochimaru had merely smirked, eyes flickering towards me occasionally as I sat in the corner of Tsunade’s tent, her hand occasionally reaching out to brush my wild blonde hair down.</p><p>“We are close to the border.” Orochimaru’s husky voice floated across the room. Tsunade grunted in reply, bringing the sake bottle up, tipping it back to take a long swig. “You seem to have picked up a stray. That’s unlike you, Tsuna.” There was a dangerous lilt to his voice this time, a mocking undertone.</p><p>“None of your business who or what I pick up.” Tsunade’s reply was brisk, sharp. Her hand once again slipped through my hair. Orochimaru didn’t look surprised by her quick response.</p><p>“Are you taking her to the orphanage?” He murmured, and Tsunade again grunted a response in the affirmative. “Such an interesting chakra signature…” His yellow eyes fixed on me once again and I couldn’t help the shudder that rattled through my body. His smile wasn’t at all genuine – it was brutal, piercing. “Maybe she would do better with me.”</p><p>His pale hand reached towards me, only to be casually batted away by Tsunade. The air stilled, and I felt pure fear take me. Would he push the point? Would Tsunade let him have me? Would I be experimented on – oh god, he did terrible things to children, will I end up like that?</p><p>Tsunade and Orochimaru locked eyes for a brief moment. Orochimaru was the one to break the silence with a quick, shuddering laugh.</p><p>“Fine. Have your way, Tsuna.” The nickname was drawn out, and I could feel the threat latent in his words. He stood, graceful and quick, and exited the tent.</p><p>Tsunade tipped the sake bottle back once more. She didn’t look at me again that night.</p><p>I found myself wondering, as the rain hit the canvas tent, whether she knew what he was.</p><hr/><p>Crossing the border was a welcome relief for our bedraggled troop. Orochimaru and Tsunade rarely spoke, conversing only when necessary, ordering us to move forward, to stop, to establish a camp.</p><p>I tried to help where I could. On one of her more sober days (rare), Tsunade had shown me how to fold bandages, pack medical supplies, forage for plants and herbs that could prove useful. There was only so much that I could do with my new child-hands (and baby legs, I thought glumly) but at least it was something. And while I occasionally tried to act my age, it seemed that no-one was really paying enough attention to me to notice that I listened slightly too well and too hard for a toddler. Or was it just that they had seen too many children like me, children wise beyond their years, hardened by a war that they shouldn’t have seen?</p><p>I noticed my chakra more with each day. It was like having another being inside of me, a pulse that I could occasionally feel under my skin. If I focused on it enough, I could move it, make it pool in my hands or feet. I supposed that would be a basic form of chakra control, but god only knew how that was supposed to translate into jutsu.<br/>I could feel other chakra too. Tsunade’s chakra, warm and strong, occasionally flaring out to check our surroundings or confirm the suitability of a campsite. Orochimaru’s chakra was enough to make me feel like I was drowning – heady, thick, all-consuming. I didn’t know how the other ninja could stand it.</p><p>Orochimaru didn’t approach me again or try to speak with me after that night in Tsunade’s tent. But it was enough to know that he was around, and he was watching. He made himself discrete during Tsunade’s brief moments of attentiveness, but it was at night that I could really feel him hanging over me like a weight. Something about me, or about my chakra at least, had caught his attention. Which was probably the worst thing I could have asked for.</p><p>By the time the ‘an’ gate was in sight, all I could feel was relief. Anything, even a life as a newly-minted Konoha orphan, would be better than seeing his yellow eyes trace my movements while I tried to sleep.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chakra is the Worst</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>I was almost prepared for Tsunade to leave me. Almost.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It wasn’t as though she was my companion, I reasoned – she was never going to keep me. Not only would it have completely gone against what I knew to be canon, but it also would have been entirely out of character for her. She was grieving, and there was nothing I or anyone else could do to pull her out of it.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Despite all my reason, there was nothing that could ease the sting in my heart when I saw her walk away. It was a brief parting – our bedraggled little troop started to split as soon as we walked through the gate. There were some murmured ‘goodbyes’ exchanged here and there as the exhausted shinobi split off, but there was mostly silence. The village itself was quiet, and almost nothing like what I had expected.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I couldn’t really remember how Konoha did during the war. I know that the Sanin and Team Minato had gained notoriety by this point, and that the Third Hokage had decided not to pursue reparations from Iwa, but those facts did little to explain the state of the village. Everything seemed grey, washed-out, shattered. There were few shops open and trading, and the civilians seemed to walk with their heads down, avoiding eye-contact with our group. Although I could tell that the village would be a beautiful place when it was bustling (the gorgeous shopfronts, paved streets and lush forest surrounds were prime evidence of the village’s natural beauty), it appeared that the conflict of the Third Shinobi War had left its mark.</p>
<p>There was something else at work too – a disquiet that seemed to seep out of every building, every narrow alleyway and side street. The village was tense, as though it was taking a deep breath right before taking a plunge into something new. I wondered whether the anxious mood had anything to do with the Third stepping down – had Minato been named as the Fourth yet?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Unfortunately, I could only be distracted by my observations for so long. Tsunade was walking quickly through the streets, and Orochimaru was trailing somewhat dutifully behind. We were heading towards what I thought was the Hokage’s office, a large building with a red-rimmed roof and the kanji for ‘fire’ emblazoned above the entrance. I was thankful that I had taken some Japanese classes in university – while I had no trouble communicating with any of my companions so far, I hadn’t had the opportunity to check whether or not my skills extended to reading the Japanese characters that existed in this universe. I was honestly dreading it. If I couldn’t read kanji, I might as well give up any hope of getting into the Academy now. I’d never been any good at it in my first life, and I doubted that my weird adult/child brain combo would be any better at it this time round.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I jumped a little when Tsunade gruffly pushed open the double doors leading into the Hokage’s office. They banged uselessly in the air as she strolled into the office that I knew she would one day occupy. Orochimaru followed, putting a hand on the small of my back and pushing me along with him. I realised that it was just the three of us now, standing in front of a desk that was currently occupied by the Third Hokage. He was smoking a pipe, his hat sitting on the desk in front of him, and he seemed vaguely surprised to see two of his students standing in his office.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Tsunade. Orochimaru.” His voice was friendly, if a little firm. “It is good to see that you have both returned in one piece.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Tsunade huffed loudly in response, expelling air through her pursed lips. She and the Third Hokage clearly had two different interpretations of ‘arriving home in one piece.’ I peeked up at Orochimaru and saw his long tongue briefly flick out of his mouth, as if he was tasting the air. I shuddered and looked back at my feet. The office smelt vaguely of cinnamon, I noticed, staring intently at the polished wooden floor and praying that I would be entirely skipped over in the ensuing conversation.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The Third Hokage continued, unflustered by his student’s reactions. “Did Jiraiya return with you?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>There was a moment of silence, broken by Tsunade’s brisk voice. “No. He was further in the Land of Rain that either of us. I understand that his company is still several days away.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I see.” The Third murmured, and I could hear him ashing his pipe. He cleared his throat, and I begged silently for this interaction to end. Orochimaru’s hand was still firmly resting against my back, and I swear I could feel his chakra dampening my own, pushing me down, down, down –</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“And who is this?”</p>
<p>The Third’s voice brought me back up, and I lifted my head, gasping a little as my fear slowly faded away. Tsunade was looking at me now, a slight frown on her face. She lifted her hand and gently pushed Orochimaru’s hand away from me. It was like having a physical weight lifted off my shoulders, and I stood a little straighter to address the Hokage.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I’m… um…”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Oh god. I don’t have a name. I mean, I do have a name, but it is certainly not a Japanese-style name and, oh further god, if I just pick a random Japanese-esque name, there’s still a pretty good chance that will sound strange in this universe given that the main character’s name is <em>Naruto</em> and that’s the name of a fishcake and no-one ever questions it, oh god, I’m so <em>screwed</em> –</p>
<p> </p>
<p> Tsunade must have caught my thousand-yard stare because she just sighed loudly and put a solid hand on my head, both to comfort me and to knock me out of my stupor.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“She’s an orphan.” She directed this statement at the Hokage, “I found her in a forest near Amegakure. There was a burnt-out village nearby, that I assume was her hometown. Both of her legs were broken and she was babbling nonsense for the first few days after we picked her up.” She glanced down at me briefly and sighed again, “It is quite likely that she has amnesia. It’s hard to tell, given how young she is, but I doubt that she remembers her name, or her family.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The Third Hokage hadn’t taken his eyes off me while Tsunade spoke, and I felt like I could see a sadness reflecting in his eyes. He took a deep breath and raised a hand to his temple.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“So many children like her. So many orphaned by the war.” His statement rang heavily in the overcast office, but neither Tsunade or Orochimaru seemed to be interested in replying.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Will you take her to the orphanage?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Tsunade nodded, her hand dropping from the top of my head. “She has an interesting chakra signature, but there is no evidence to suggest that she’s been trained. My recommendation is that she be enrolled in the Academy when the time comes, and perhaps given medical training-”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“If I may, Lord Third.” Orochimaru cut Tsunade off, and she whipped her head around to glare at him. He hardly seemed to take any notice, his yellow eyes fixed on the Third Hokage. “The girl has potential. I would prefer to take charge of her now and oversee her… immediate training.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The Third stared blindly at Orochimaru. His pipe drifted to the side of his mouth, forgotten. Even if Tsunade didn’t know what Orochimaru was, there was no doubt in my mind that the Third did.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“The war is over.” He declared finally, clasping his hands on his desk. “There is no need to train a child so young. She will go to the orphanage, and be enrolled in the Academy when the time comes. If you wish to train her, I will consider a request to become her sensei when she graduates with her genin team.”   </p>
<p> </p>
<p>There was a thick silence in response. After a moment, Orochimaru turned on his heel and stalked towards the door, like a child denied a treat. The Third watched him leave, impassive as always, while Tsunade clenched her fists tightly at her side.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The Third stared at me again, his black eyes slightly lost. “Best to take her to the orphanage now, Tsunade. I’ll expect your full mission report in a day or so.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Yes, Lord Third.” Tsunade reached down and took my hand, leading us both out of the office.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Oh, and Tsunade?” The Third called out as we were both stepping through the double doors, and Tsunade paused, “I was sorry to hear about Dan.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Tsunade’s hand tightened around mine, and I pretended that I couldn’t seem the tears flow down her cheeks as we slowly made out way out onto the streets of Konoha.</p><hr/>
<p>The orphanage was, without a doubt, the greyest place in Konoha. There was no life about it, no plants surrounding the building, just the quiet sobs of other newly-minted Konoha orphans leaking through the walls.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Tsunade lead me to the front desk, speaking briskly but quietly to the woman at the reception desk. She gestured to me a few times and I couldn’t help but wonder what I was getting myself into. Would it be better if I ran now? Maybe I could find a nice farmer living on the outskirts of the village to take me in? Maybe the Yamanaka flower shop was hiring inexperienced toddlers? Maybe –</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You’re all signed up, kid.” Tsuande was kneeling in front of me, her hand gently clasping both of my shoulders. I was doing my best not to cry like an actual baby, but I knew that my face was screwing up a little. I couldn’t help it – I had grown fond of her. I wanted to be with her, to try to help her through her grief, but that clearly wasn’t going to happen.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>She noticed my tragic little face and signed, leaning back on her heels. “You’re going to be fine. You might even get adopted – you never know. And besides, it won’t be for all that long. If you pass the Academy test, the Hokage promised to get you a little apartment with an allowance. That’s pretty good news, right?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I tried to nod vigorously so that she wouldn’t see the tears slipping down my face. I don’t think that I fooled her at all, but I think that she had definitely decided in that moment that she wasn’t a kid person. She rubbed my shoulders gently once again and stood, graceful as a cat.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I’ll check up on you in a few years.” <em>Lie</em>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>She started walking towards the door, her long blonde hair swinging behind her, leaving me standing alone in the cold foyer.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Oh, and kid? I’ve named you Yasuko. You better live up to that name.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p><em>Yasuko. Peaceful child</em>.</p>
<p> </p><hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>I do not make a great orphan.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It turns out that being an orphan in Konoha was (a) intensely boring and (b) intensely depressing. Every second child here was an actual sad war orphan, and while I had a fake tragic backstory courteously of Tsunade, I couldn’t relate to any of these traumatised children. And then, of course, there was the fact that I was a 24-year-old woman who just happened to be occupying the body of sullen blonde toddler. While I was good at getting the other kids to calm down and go to sleep, there wasn’t really any meaningful conversation that I could have with them.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>So, I took to wandering the streets and trying to experiment with my chakra. There still weren’t many people out, but the tension did seem to ease day-by-day. More shinobi were returning to the village. Sometimes, if I sat close enough to the gate, they would smile sadly at me when they entered. I was yet to see anyone that I had recognised.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>In the meantime, I was trying to tree walk. It was literally one of the only things that I could remember from early Naruto in terms of a chakra moulding exercise, and I figured that it probably couldn’t be that hard… right?</p>
<p> </p>
<p> Wrong. It turns out that chakra sucks and it only seems to exist to make you look like an idiot. The sheer number of times that I fell on my ass was making me consider permanently strapping a pillow to my backside. While I could feel that I was getting closer each day, it was damn hard to get the perfect mix. Too much chakra and the tree breaks, leaving my tiny toddler body exhausted. Not enough and <em>wham</em>, I’m on my ass again.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The sun was setting orange behind me when I finally decided to leave my little training ground (a quiet-looking field with a few trees speckled here and there). Clutching my back, I tried to stand, only to find that my tiny toddler body was less than willing to push through the pain. I grunted in frustration, trying to stand again with only a little more success on the second try. Everything hurt, and my legs felt like jelly, shaking beneath me like a baby lamb.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I heard a twig snap, and I looked up, scanning frantically and seeing nothing. I couldn’t sense very well yet, but I knew that Tsunade could flare her chakra, and maybe I could try something like that?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I closed my eyes, trying to push my chakra out, and finding that it went relatively easily. I could feel small pulses in reply, birds or large bugs maybe, but there was something else at the corner of the field, something much larger….</p>
<p>“Hey!” I called out, certain that I was being watched and desperately hoping that I bit of bravado would be enough to save me, “I know you’re there. Come out!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>My voice was a little shaky, even to my own ears, but eventually, I heard leaves crunching underfoot. A small head popped out from around a large tree trunk, and I felt my breath catch in my throat.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Dark hair. Dark eyes. A little grey boat neck shirt and light grey shorts.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Itachi Uchiha’s soft eyes were staring at me and I tried valiantly to push myself up against the tree trunk.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“I’m sorry for frightening you, but I heard your training. Are you okay?”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I tried to mumble a response but I found myself falling down, down, down –</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The last thing I remembered was the feeling of small hands on my shoulders.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hi again! Thanks to anyone who has read this second chapter. I will probably need to go through and edit this a bit as I had written it fairly quickly, so please forgive any grammar/spelling issues. Excited to get to the next part!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. A Little Promise</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Soft.</p><p> </p><p>I felt… nice and soft.</p><p> </p><p>I probably hadn’t felt this comfortable since I had abruptly exited my first life and literally crash-landed into my second. I’d had to make do with Tsunade’s flak jacket while we were on the road, and the Konoha orphanage wasn’t exactly liberally handing out warm, snuggly blankets. When I did manage to get a hold of a blanket, it was more like a well-worn scrap of cloth rather than an actual padded, super soft, heated <em>blanket</em>.</p><p> </p><p>My small hands found purchase in the fabric, and I gripped it tightly. I was slowly becoming aware that the heat I was feeling wasn’t just coming from the blanket, but from a radiating heat source that was warming my face. Yellow and red sparks danced across my closed eyes, creating flickering patterns under my eyes.</p><p> </p><p>I reluctantly cracked one eye open, and saw that I was face to face with a glowing yellow fire. The flames illuminated the dark room I was currently crashing in – there was tatami on the floor of the spotless room, which reflected the flames and gave the whole room a pervasive feeling of warmth.</p><p> </p><p>I smiled contentedly, closing my eye again and snuggling back down into the blanket, getting ready to spend my night in comfort.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Oh god.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>My eye cracked open again, and I could feel my pulse speed up.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Am I… no, there’s no way… that couldn’t have been…I must have imagined…</em>
</p><p>A door suddenly slid open behind me, and I couldn’t help but jump at the sound. I tried to roll myself around to face the noise, but found that my stupid child limbs were still too heavy for me to move.</p><p> </p><p>“Please, don’t try to move.” It was a woman’s voice. Her quiet footsteps moved quickly across the tatami, until her feet entered my line of vision. I tried again to crane my neck up so that I could see her face, but all I was able to catch a glimpse of was long, dark hair.</p><p> </p><p>“You’re safe here, and you are more than welcome to stay the night. My son found you in the forest, and I know that you must be confused, but I really think that you need to get some rest.” She knelt down beside me, hair brushing the top of my head, and her soft hand reached out to stroke my head. My eyes fluttered and I knew that I was fighting a losing battle to stay awake.</p><p> </p><p>“I…” my throat was heavy and uncooperative, “I don’t want… to trouble you.” I managed to wheeze the words out, feeling exhaustion settle deep into my bones. Her hand simply smoothed my tangled hair out of my face, and this time I could see kind grey eyes staring down at me. Itachi definitely had his mother’s eyes.</p><p> </p><p>“You are no trouble at all. Just sleep.”</p><p> </p><p>And so I did just that, while Mikoto Uchiha patiently detangled the mangled mop on top of my head.</p><hr/><p>Yellow light creeped under my eyes, warm and even. My face felt cool, and I could no longer feel the jumping flames on my face. I was able to open both of my eyes this time (although they admittedly felt a little… crusty), and was greeted by the morning sun.</p><p> </p><p>I took a deep breath, and caught the scent of… food? Some kind of food, and… green tea? My stomach growled loudly in response, and I sat up quickly, grasping it with both hands to try and silence it.</p><p> </p><p>My eyes flicked around the empty room again, and in the morning sun the red and white paper fan logo adorning the right wall was unmistakable. There was no doubt about it – I was in the Uchiha compound. Itachi… Itachi had been young, I remembered, probably about the same age as I was now. But, if the Third was still the Hokage, that must mean that Sasuke is still a little while away. Had Mikoto been pregnant? I’d barely been able to focus on her last night, and it would have been impossible to tell in the dark anyway. If I could figure out how far along she was, maybe I could figure out how long I had until Obito unleashed the Nine-Tailed Fox on the village. If I could do that, maybe I could figure out how to change it? Or… at least decide whether or not I should even try to change anything. Actually, now that I’m thinking about it, I probably shouldn’t even be here. Interacting with someone as important as Itachi is probably not a great idea until I figure out what my strategy is going to be. Perhaps if I just sneak out –</p><p>My thought were interrupted by the sliding door. This time, I was able to slowly twist my body around to look at the small boy standing in the doorway.</p><p> </p><p>Itachi was smiling kindly at me. His dark hair was already a little long for his small face, but his eyes held little of the darkness that had been his trademark throughout the <em>Naruto </em>series. Even his deep eye-lines weren’t as pronounced. Still, I reminded myself that this boy had already seen war, thanks to his vaguely psychotic father. It was impossible to imagine him out on a battlefield, and yet there was a soft wariness tucked away behind his gentle façade, barely perceptible but still… a little unnerving. I could imagine why it was hard for him to connect with other children his age.</p><p> </p><p> “Are you feeling okay?” Itachi kicked his slippers off and stepped into the small room, sliding the door shut again behind him. He slowly walked towards my blanket-bed, pausing a few feet away from me. “I hope that you don’t mind, but I brought you back to my home. My mum looked after you last night.”</p><p>
  
</p><p>Itachi already spoke like a little adult, but he looked a little nervous to hear my response, so I cleared my throat and tried to mumble out a reply as quickly as possible.</p><p> </p><p>“Th… Thank you.” My voice was a little croaky, and still far higher than I was used too, but at least it was there. “I was really comfy last night, and being in the woods alone would have been really bad. So thank you.”</p><p> </p><p>His soft smile returned to his face, and he flopped down onto the floor to sit beside me.</p><p> </p><p><em>Cute</em>.</p><p> </p><p>“My mum is making breakfast. Do you want some?”</p><p> </p><p>I tried not to nod too eagerly, but Itachi still caught the enthusiasm in my response. He grinned again, and stretched an open hand out towards me. I grasped it tightly, and couldn’t help the little ‘oh’ that escaped my lips when he hauled me to my wobbly feet with a strength that would make most adults cower.</p><p> </p><p><em>Chakra</em>, I reminded myself firmly. Itachi was a genius – of course, he was already using it, but he was clearly still working on controlling his own strength. He smiled somewhat bashfully and whispered a little ‘sorry’. I shook my head in reply and smiled back.</p><p> </p><p>Itachi ended up frog-marching me into the dining room, my legs still a little shaky and uncertain. The unusually strong boy was able to wrestle my uncooperative legs into a seated position, and while I was certain that we looked like a bizarre comedy act I was completely grateful for his help.</p><p> </p><p>There were already a number of plates and bowls set out on the table, and I could smell miso soup wafting out from under the covered bowl sitting next to me. My stomach rumbled again, and this time Itachi actually laughed a little, holding his hand up to his mouth to try to hide his small snicker.</p><p>To be honest, I couldn’t remember Itachi laughing at all in <em>Naruto</em>. I’m, of course, excluding his manic rant about taking Sasuke’s eyes (a performance for which he clearly deserved an Oscar). Seeing him not only laugh but also apparently have a little sense of humour? Priceless.</p><p> </p><p>“Oh good, you’re both here.”</p><p> </p><p>I looked over my shoulder to see Mikoto holding a medium-sized serving tray. She gave me a small smile, which I was starting to understand was the Uchiha equivalent of a beaming Uzumaki-sized grin, and sat the tray down in the middle of the table. The smell was mouth-watering, and I gripped my stomach again to try to stop the rumble – in vain.</p><p> </p><p>Itachi laughed again, and got a little wack on the back of the head from Mikoto for it. He just smiled up at her adoringly while she seat herself down at the head of the table.</p><p> </p><p>“Itachi’s father has already gone out on patrol, so it’s just going to be us this morning. Please, eat as much as you want – Itachi, help her to serve.”</p><p> </p><p>Itachi nodded seriously and set to work loading my plate up with all sort of goodies. I tried to protest weakly, but my traitorous stomach gave me away. Mikoto just gave me another small smile, looking like a benevolent goddess at the end of the table while Itachi was obviously doing his best to give me some sort of heart failure.</p><p> </p><p>After a few minutes of serious eating, which I occasionally broke by murmuring out little praises (‘so yummy! This is the best food I’ve ever eaten!’), Mikoto cleared her throat.</p><p> </p><p>“So, honey, do you have a name?”</p><p> </p><p>Itachi looked up from his own stacked plate to stare at me with interested eyes. I swallowed my most recent mouthful of food (seriously, it was so good. Tsunade’s food pills were utter trash by comparison), and considered her question.</p><p> </p><p>“I… um…” Tsunade’s voice fluttered into my brain, and I swallowed the nervous instinct to give them my old name, my real name. “I guess that my name is Yasuko. That’s the name Lady Tsunade has given me.” I couldn’t help but say that last part with pride. After all, Konoha orphans might be a dime a dozen, but who else could say that they had personally been named by <em>the</em> Lady Tsunade?</p><p> </p><p>“Yasuko. That’s a beautiful name.” Mikoto stole a glance down at her stomach, and I could just see a small swell in her dress. “How did you meet Lady Tsunade?”</p><p> </p><p>“I… I was in a forest, and my lady found me. I didn’t have anywhere else to go, so my lady brought me to the orphanage here.”</p><p> </p><p>Itachi’s little hand reached across the table and poked mine lightly. I turned towards him and caught my first real glimpse of sadness in his eyes. I could tell that he was trying, in his own way, to comfort me.</p><p>“I’m sorry to hear that.” Mikoto broke the moment, and I found myself tying to shovel more food into my mouth.</p><p> </p><p>“So’okay.” I mumbled around another mouthful. “Konoha is very pretty.”</p><p> </p><p>“It is.” Mikoto agreed, her dark eye studying me. After another pause, she asked “Will you be attending the academy?”</p><p> </p><p>I remembered Lord Third’s words, and nodded. “Yes. Lord Third said that I would be.”</p><p> </p><p>“Oh, I see.” Mikoto gestured to Itachi, “Itachi will be attending as well. It would be good if you could both be friends – maybe you could start by training with each other, rather than trying to go it alone?”</p><p>It was a gentle rebuke, but I still felt like I had been thoroughly told off. Would spending more time with Itachi be a bad idea? After all, getting involved with the man who murdered his entire clan (even if it was a mission) was probably not the smartest idea I could have had. But then I remembered the look on Orochimaru’s face when the Third said that he couldn’t have me, and I felt those yellow eyes look me over and break me down. If Orochimaru was going to come for me, I needed to be ready. And I needed friends. Itachi was the only person I could remember being about my age in <em>Naruto </em>– Kakashi was older, and the Rookie Nine probably hadn’t been born yet. I stole a look at Itachi from under my lashes, and the poor kid was looking at me with a hope so desperate that it made my heart burn. He was already lonely, that much was clear. Perhaps Shisui hadn’t yet appeared in his life, or maybe he just wanted to play with someone his own age. Whatever the reason, it still broke my heart, and I made up my mind in that moment.</p><p>“For sure, that would be great!”</p><hr/><p>While Itachi and I helped Mikoto to clean up after breakfast, she cheerfully informed me that she was pregnant.</p><p> </p><p>“I think that it will be another boy.” She confided in me, almost conspiratorially, while Itachi was stacking dishes on the other side of the room. “I think that Itachi is hoping for a little brother, but I don’t want to get his hopes up. Will you keep that a secret?”<br/><br/></p><p>“I can do that!” I confirmed stanchly, and Mikoto chuckled a little at my serious tone.</p><p> </p><p>“How… how long do you think that it will be? Before the baby gets here?” I tried to inject a child-like tone to the question, anything to make it seem a little less creepy, but Mikoto just took it all in stride.</p><p> </p><p>“I think maybe another three months or so.” She hummed a little, putting her hands on her belly. “Oh! There we go, the baby is kicking. Do you want to feel it?” Before I had time to answer, she grasped my hands softly and put them on her belly. I could feel gentle little movements under my hands, and I gasped a little.</p><p>There is really nothing more strange or more wonderful than a baby. I looked around and saw Itachi starting at us, a far-away look in his eye, as if he was imagining just how cool it was going to be to have a little brother of his own.</p><p> </p><p>Emotion welled up in my throat, and I had to quickly swallow it down. Standing here, in the Uchiha kitchen, smiling with Itachi and Mikoto and feeling an unborn Sasuke kicking against my hand made the reality of my situation hit me like a tone of bricks.</p><p> </p><p>This family would be entirely destroyed if I didn’t do something. Mikoto would be killed by her own son. Itachi would lead a life of darkness and misery, eventually succumbing to illness during a fight with his beloved brother. Sasuke… Sasuke would be ripped apart by this world, and only Naruto would be able to save him.</p><p> </p><p>They didn’t deserve that. They didn’t deserve any of it. And if I could change it, then I at least has the responsibility to try.</p><p> </p><p>I looked at Mikoto’s belly again, feeling Sasuke’s little foot press against her skin. I smiled.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Sasuke, I can’t promise that I will succeed, but I can promise that I will try. For you, for your lovely shy brother and for your kind mother who is also clearly the best cook in the Village. </em>
</p><p> </p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thank you for reading! Again, sorry for any spelling and grammar mistakes, I just really wanted to get this up before my week gets too crazy. I will get better at editing, I swear!</p><p>Sorry if this chapter is a bit slow, but I wanted to establish a relationship with at least some of the Uchiha family. I'm excited about the next chapter - definitely time for the Uzumaki/Namikaze duo to make an appearance, and maybe also a certain scarecrow. See you guys soon!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. A Lunch Date with the Yellow Flash</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>I had only been with him for a few hours, but I already knew in my heart of hearts that Itachi had to be the cutest kid in the world. Wait, scratch that – he was the cutest kid in <em>any </em>world.</p><p> </p><p>Which only made it all the more unnerving when he started bulls-eyeing shuriken like it was nothing. His hands moved so quickly that I could hardly see them, twisting and flicking the shuriken right into the targets with no hesitation.</p><p> </p><p>“Wow!” I breathed, completely in awe.</p><p> </p><p>Itachi paused, turning around to smile sweetly at me. We were in one of the Uchiha compound’s private training grounds, a grassy field covered in targets. Itachi had been ordered to escort me back to the orphanage by Mikoto (with the promise that Itachi and I would be able to have a proper play-date soon), but I’d managed to drag him into the training ground on our way out. Meeting Itachi had really lit a fire under my ass – if Itachi was already as strong as I suspected he was, then I needed to spend every waking moment trying to catch up to him. I figured that shuriken and chakra control would be a good starting point for our joint training sessions, and it looked like I was right.</p><p> </p><p>“It really isn’t all that hard,” Itachi said, his face a little flushed.</p><p> </p><p>“I thought it was amazing!” I clapped my hands together excitedly. “Can you show me how to do that?”</p><p> </p><p>I’d never been great at sports in my first life. I enjoyed running and hiking but I had notoriously bad aim. That wouldn’t be an option for me this time around. If I couldn’t master hitting my target, I’d be dead meat.</p><p> </p><p>“I… I guess?” Itachi walked over to me, handing me a shuriken. It was heavier than I was expecting and definitely sharp.</p><p> </p><p>“So… you kind of hold your hand like this.” Itachi manipulated my fingers, grouping four fingers on top of the shuriken with my thumb supporting below. “And… I guess you just throw it from here.” He supported my wrist, flicking it once, twice. I nodded.</p><p> </p><p>“I think I can do that.” I said, “But how do I aim it?”</p><p> </p><p>“Oh.” Itachi’s hand dropped from mine, and he looked at my eyes thoughtfully. I shifted back and forth, not really sure what he was looking for. After a moment, he smiled. “You have good eyes. All you need to do is focus on your target, and let your chakra… um… guide you.” He gestured vaguely at the closest target. “Like you did when we first met.”</p><p> </p><p>I considered his words carefully. I had felt Tsunade flaring her chakra, which I had used to sense Itachi. It made sense that I could use the same technique as some kind of target system.</p><p> </p><p>“Okay,” I said firmly, stepping one of my feet back. “I’m going to give it a try, but you had better stand behind me. Just in case.”</p><p> </p><p>Itachi nodded, stepping slightly behind me. I suspected that he could probably just dodge any of my misfires, but I definitely didn’t want to be responsible for mortally wounding the Uchiha’s heir with my shitty shuriken throwing.</p><p> </p><p>I flicked my wrist and let the shuriken fly, flaring my chakra out at the same time and trying to aim it towards the closest target. The shuriken didn’t fly nearly half as quickly as Itachi’s, but I was still pleased and surprised when it hit close to the center of the target.</p><p> </p><p>I jumped on the spot and pumped my fist in the air. “I did it!”</p><p> </p><p>I caught Itachi’s wide smile and flushed, a little embarrassed at my outburst. I dropped my fist quickly.</p><p> </p><p>“I mean.” I cleared my throat, “I know that wasn’t really all that good, but I’ve never actually hit anything before!”</p><p> </p><p>Itachi shook his head, still smiling, and stretched a hand out towards me.</p><p> </p><p>My heart froze as he poked me firmly in the forehead.</p><p> </p><p>“That was a really good first try, and you have good chakra control.” Itachi dropped his hand, hopefully not noticing the pained expression I was sure that I was making. “If I teach you how to throw shuriken, can you teach me how to sense with your chakra?”</p><p> </p><p>“For sure!” I agreed, rubbing my forehead briskly to try and shake off my memories of Itachi doing <em>that</em>. “I don’t really know much about chakra, but I learned that by watching Lady Tsunade. I’m… well, I was also trying to learn how to tree walk.” I grinned a little bashfully, “That’s what I was trying to do when you found me.”</p><p> </p><p>“I’m still working on that too,” Itachi said, starting to jog towards the targets to pick up his scattered shuriken. I followed, trying to yank one out of a target and finding that it was lodged too tightly in the wood. I pulled without much success for a few minutes, before I heard Itachi let out another quiet little snicker.</p><p> </p><p>I whirled around to confront him and promptly fell on my ass. Itachi’s little snicker transformed into full-blowed laughter.</p><p> </p><p>“Hey!” I said, trying to maintain some kind of dignity from my place on the grass and failing miserably. Itachi just shook his head again and offered me his hand, yanking me up just as hard as he had before.</p><p> </p><p>“How are you so strong?” I wondered, staring at his hand dumbly.</p><p> </p><p>“It’s chakra.” He informed me as if that would answer my question. When it was clear that I wasn’t exactly following him, he held my hand up in front of my face. “Put some of your chakra in your hand, but not too much or you won’t be able to control it.” He dropped my hand, smiling again. “It’s just like tree walking.”</p><p> </p><p>I stared at my hand and tried to direct some of my chakra to it. My hand buzzed worryingly, and I looked at Itachi for confirmation.</p><p> </p><p>“It will probably take you some time to get used to, but once you get used to it you don’t need to think about it anymore.” Itachi stepped back to go and collect more shuriken.</p><p> </p><p>I tried again to remove the lodged shuriken. This time, it came easily, ripping out of the wood like a knife through butter. I stared at my hand in amazement. To be super strong had always been something that I had dreamed of in my first life, but I had broken my left arm badly when I was a child. The bones had healed but they were never quite the same, so I was never able to do any serious weight training.</p><p> </p><p>“I heard that Lady Tsunade is able to use that technique to become super strong,” Itachi called back to me over his shoulder. “Maybe you should try to train like her?”</p><p> </p><p>I thought of Tsuande’s legendary fight with Orochimaru, and the hideous cracking sound his face had made when it was smashed by Tsunade’s fist.</p><p> </p><p>I smiled widely and felt my canines peak out over my lips. “I think that sounds like a good idea, Itachi.”</p><hr/><p> </p><p>I managed to convince Itachi to head back home once we had reached the center of the village. I honestly felt bad for taking up so much of his day, and while we had chatted happily the whole trip I knew that he should probably get home to Mikoto.</p><p> </p><p>And I really didn’t want him to hear me getting chewed out by the caretakers when I arrived back at the orphanage. I wasn’t entirely certain that they were keeping tabs on me, but if they had noticed that I was missing I was sure that I was going to be in for it.</p><p> </p><p>I waved him off as he jogged back the way we came, smiling at me from over his shoulder and waving back happily. He really was just the <em>cutest</em> little boy!</p><p> </p><p>As soon as he was out of view, I sighed loudly and trudged off in the vague direction of the orphanage, taking every opportunity to distract myself. Maybe I should just go and stand at the gates for a while, or I could head back to one of the public training grounds to work on my tree walking? Perhaps I could finally find and visit the Yamanaka flower shop, or maybe…</p><p> </p><p>A delicious smell wafted in the air, and I looked up from my feet. To my right, there was an unmistakable food store with red kanji on the outside that I could (thankfully) decipher.</p><p> </p><p><em>Ichiraku Ramen</em>.</p><p> </p><p>I hovered nervously at the entrance, wishing desperately that I had some money. It just smelled so good, and my last meal had been… well, hours ago now, and Itachi and I had spent quite a while training. My stomach growled angrily, and I looked at it angrily.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Traitor.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>Just as I was about to turn away and submit myself to the caretaker’s wrath so that I could at least get some rice and soup, something tall and warm crashed into me. I went straight down on my ass for at least the third time today, whining a bit pathetically as I did so.</p><p> </p><p>“Sorry! I’m – I’m really sorry, you know! Are you okay kid?”</p><p> </p><p>I shook my head, blinking my eyes desperately. Long red hair, green eyes, and a slightly swollen belly.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>No way.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>I gasped, jumping up quickly. The woman stood up with me, grabbing one of my arms gently while I wobbled back and forth. She smiled widely and I couldn’t help but feel like the sun was beaming down at me.</p><p> </p><p><em>Kushina Uzumaki</em>.</p><p>“I had to beat my husband here, and he’s really fast ya know!” She pumped a fist in the air, chuckling a little at her own actions. “But I’m sorry that you got caught in the cross-fire.” She leaned down, cupping a hand around my ear to whisper to me conspiratorially, “I’ll get him to treat us both when he finally shows up. How does that sound?”</p><p> </p><p>I didn’t even get a chance to respond, although I doubt I would have been able to open my mouth to make a sound. Kushina just spun on her heel and pulled me into Ichiraku’s, sitting me next to her. She waved excitedly at the man behind the counter, who I could only remember as the famous ‘ramen-stand guy’.</p><p> </p><p>“Teuchi-san! We’ll have three bowls of miso ramen, please. Minato will be here soon, we’re celebrating!”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Celebrating? Does that mean…</em>
</p><p> </p><p>Kushina looked down at me, eyes practically sparkling. “Do you like ramen, kid?”</p><p> </p><p>“I… I’m not sure, actually.” I managed to get the words out, twiddling my hands nervously, “I’ve never had it, but it smells good.”</p><p> </p><p>“Well, this place is the best, so I’m sure you’ll love it,” Kushina said, eyes flicking expectantly to Teuchi-san, who simply grunted in affirmation.</p><p> </p><p>Just as I was about to insist to Kushina that she really didn’t need to buy me a meal (or… have Minato buy me a meal), there was a cold rush of air and a flush of chakra. Before I even had the chance to turn around, I saw a hand rest on Kushina’s shoulder out of the corner of my eye.</p><p> </p><p>“I’m sorry for being late.”</p><p> </p><p>The only way to describe Minato Namikaze was calm. He was clearly Kushina’s perfect match, meeting her broad grin with one of his own while still managing to soothe her heightened energy.</p><p> </p><p>Kushina slapped his hand away, laughing in reply. “You are late! So late, in fact, that my new friend had to keep me company.”</p><p> </p><p>“Oh?” Minato looked at me while he took a seat on Kushina’s other side. “And what is your new friend’s name?”</p><p> </p><p>“Ah…” Kushina looked back at me, her eyes silently begging me for an answer. Minato’s smile grew slightly wider in the silence.</p><p> </p><p>“Oh, I’m Yasuko sir.” I said, trying to get the words out without sounding too much like a child. Kushina nudged me firmly with her leg, gesticulating subtly with her hand. I didn’t really understand what she was trying to get me to do, but I figured I needed to try and go along with her as best as I could anyway.</p><p>“I’m Kushina’s new friend!” I said firmly, reaching out to hold her hand. This seemed to be exactly what she was after, as she squeezed my hand and nodded happily.</p><p> </p><p>“You see, Minato? Now that I have my new friend, I guess that I don’t need you anymore. Yondaime Hokage or not!”</p><p> </p><p>Minato’s eyes widened slightly for a moment before he burst out laughing. Kushina kept up her façade for a minute longer before joining him in laughter. I sat there a little awkwardly, feeling like I had just intruded on an inside joke.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>But… I guess that means… The Third has just appointed Minato to be his successor.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>“Well, I’m glad to meet you, Yasuko.” Minato said, resting his hands on the table. He and Kushina seemed to have calmed down slightly, which I was admittedly a little grateful for. “While I’m sure that you’ve had a lovely time with Kushina, is there someone who would be… waiting around for you to have lunch with them?”</p><p> </p><p>That was a very tactful way of trying to find out if I had any family.</p><p> </p><p>I shook my head. “No, sir. I just arrived at the Konoha orphanage about a week ago. I don’t think they will mind if I have lunch out… if… um…” I went back to looking at my hands, a little nervous, “If… it’s okay with you, I’d like to stay sir? I don’t have any money, but I can pay you back soon?”</p><p> </p><p>Kushina just reached over the table and grabbed my hand, squeezing it gently. “Of course, it’s our treat.”</p><p> </p><p>Minato nodded. “Think of it as your official welcome to Konoha, Yasuko. We’re glad to have you.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Oh god. Why were they so kind? How could these two doomed people be so lovely?</em>
</p><p> </p><p>“Oh, wait!” Kushina looked at Minato, “Isn’t Kakashi coming too? I swear, that little brat is never around anymore.”</p><p> </p><p>Minato looked a little guilty. I wondered if Kakashi was already in the ANBU – but… wait, hadn’t Minato been the one to send him there? Hadn’t he already been Hokage?</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>What… what was going on?</em>
</p><p> </p><p>“I… might have forgotten… to invite him?” Minato said the phrase like a question, his voice creeping up a slight octave. “To be honest, I’d kind of forgotten that we were even doing something.” He rubbed the back of his head nervously.</p><p> </p><p>Kushina let out a long-suffering sigh and slapped Minato on the back. “Well, go get him! I heard that he got back from a mission yesterday. He should be around.”</p><p> </p><p>“Ah… right.” Minato made a single hand sign and disappeared. I tried not to let my draw drop, but it was hard.</p><p> </p><p>“Sorry, Teuchi-san! Can I add another bowl to the order?”</p><p> </p><p>I tried to keep my hands steady. Kakashi had always been my favourite character, and the thought that I was about to meet him was making my palms sweaty.</p><p> </p><p>“Kakashi is Minato’s student.” Kushina informed me, “He’s a little grumpy, but once you get used to him he’s an okay kid, you know?”</p><p> </p><p>I nodded. “How old is he?” I asked tentatively.</p><p> </p><p>Kushina squinted. “Err… he’d probably be about thirteen now?”</p><p> </p><p>“Oh.” I looked down at my hands again. “He’s probably too old to want to train with me, then.” I hadn’t really meant for those words to come out, but Kushina looked interested.</p><p> </p><p>“Are you already training for the academy?” She sounded a little impressed.</p><p> </p><p>“Yes.” I confirmed, nodding. “I’m just about to start training with my friend. He’s teaching me to throw shuriken.”</p><p> </p><p>“That’s pretty cool, ya know.” Kushina leaned back on her chair. “Do you want to be a shinobi?”</p><p> </p><p>“I think so,” I said. “I… I know that I want to be able to look after myself and the people I care about. And I… I think I want to be a shinobi like Lady Tsunade. A shinobi who can help people.”</p><p> </p><p>Kushina’s eyes were a little wet when she looked back at me. “That’s insightful, kid. I think that you’ll make a great shinobi. And, hey – maybe Kakashi won’t be interested in training with you now, but he could be your sensei when you make genin!”</p><p> </p><p>“Do you think so?” I asked, barely resisting the urge to shiver nervously. While I like Kakashi, having him as a sensei as a terrifying prospect. Especially since Team 7 was the only squad to pass his bell test.</p><p> </p><p>“Maybe!” Kushina paused, tapping her chin thoughtfully, “But maybe you’d do better with someone like Guy. He’s a little funny looking but he’s got a heart of gold, seriously, that man –"</p><p> </p><p>Kushina was cut off by a ‘pop’ and a rush of smoke.</p><p> </p><p>Minato was back on his seat and a skinny, grey-haired boy was sitting next to me. His face was almost entirely covered, and the one eye that I could see was (at best) disinterested and (at worst) a little spiteful.</p><p>I tried to stop myself from shaking. <em>I was sitting next to Kakashi Hatake, the copy ninja!</em></p><p> </p><p>“Good to see you, brat!” Kushina reached behind me to smack Kakashi on the back. He grunted in response and Kushina rolled her eyes. Minato looked like a put-upon father trying to keep his family from breaking out into all-out war.</p><p> </p><p>Four bowls of ramen slid across the table, and the smell made my mouth water. My stomach growled loudly and Kushina laughed.</p><p> </p><p>“I guess it’s time to eat!”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Ahhhh, another chapter and we finally have our core cast (for the moment) introduced and a couple of plot threads underway! Yay! Thanks so much for putting up with my errors and for everyone who has taken the time to read and comment. I finally feel like I am getting some momentum with this story so I'm going to try to keep it going. Thank you all so much!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Trial by Kakashi</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Eating ramen while surrounded by Kushina, Minato and Kakashi was about as surreal as it sounded. There was no way around it. It was weird, overwhelming and difficult to make sense of. There was something in my brain that just… couldn’t comprehend what I was doing.</p><p> </p><p>So, while I took my first few bites of the (admittedly, heaven-sent) ramen, I wracked my brain and tried to focus.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>What did I actually know about these people? Why did the timeline seem to be… just slightly off? Was it me? Could I have already changed things simply by existing in this world? And, if that was the case – then how could I be sure that any of my information would still be accurate?</em>
</p><p> </p><p>Kushina was chatting loudly and happily to no-one in particular while Minato just watched her with a look that verged on pure adoration, occasionally chiming in with a quick comment or correction. Kakashi was using his one visible eye to stare blankly into his ramen, as if desperately wishing that it (or he) could simply vanish. I was starting to understand why kamui was such a good fit for him.</p><p> </p><p>Kushina was clearly pregnant, that much was obvious. She didn’t seem to be as far along as Mikoto was but that made sense. I was pretty sure that Sasuke was at least a few months older than Naruto. Kakashi… well, he must have already lost Rin and Obito. The fact that they weren’t also invited to the lunch plus Kakashi’s eyewear was sufficient proof of that.</p><p> </p><p>Minato seemed to be a little empty-headed but I couldn’t help but suspect that was purposeful. There was something about him, about his chakra, that seemed to sing out with power. Given that Kakashi was his only living student, it seemed out of character for Minato to forget to invite him to lunch, especially if it was something that he and Kushina had planned. So, what was he up too?</p><p> </p><p>“Ehh, Yasuko, anyone home in there?” Kushina asked, rapping her knuckles on my head lightly.</p><p> </p><p>I jolted a little and cleared my throat, refocusing my eyes on the bowl of ramen in front of me.</p><p> </p><p>“Yes! Sorry, I just… ahh…” I flittered a little, trying to come up with something to say. “I don’t think that I’ve ever eaten anything so good!” I gestured forcefully at the ramen to emphasize my point.</p><p> </p><p>Kushina clapped her hands together excitedly. “I know, it’s seriously good! Speaking of which, why aren’t you eating brat? Don’t what anyone to see what’s under that… mask?” She pointed a finger accusatorily at Kakashi and lowered her voice to a whisper. “I bet that you have, like, blimp lips or something… you know?”</p><p> </p><p>“He doesn’t have blimp lips,” Minato said, leaning back on his chair and giving Kushina a little smile. “And there’s no need to tease him. If Kakashi isn’t hungry, then he doesn’t need to eat. Why don’t you or Yasuko finish it off instead?”</p><p> </p><p>“Don’t think that you’re going to distract me!” Kushina huffed, crossing her arms over her swollen belly. “I know that you’ve seen his face, and I bet that Gai has too, although he won’t come clean to me about it. I’m the only odd one out, you know!”</p><p> </p><p>I felt Kakashi shift next to me, and for the first time since Minato had hauled him into Ichiraku’s he was facing Kushina and I. He didn’t seem to be wearing ANBU gear, but that was easy enough to change so I couldn’t take it as proof of anything. He was wearing a black undershirt with a grey metal plate strapped over the top, with metal braces on his arms that seemed to be made from the same material as the metal rings on Minato’s blue shirt. His grey eye slipped over me without pausing and focused on Kushina.</p><p> </p><p>“Do you want to know what’s under my mask?” Kakashi asked flatly.</p><p> </p><p>Kushina nodded. “Sure, just get it over with, I’m seriously going to find out eventually so you might as well just show me of your own free will.” She said, looking eager.</p><p> </p><p>Minato looked like he was bracing for something. He caught me staring at him and I flushed when he smiled at me, before he flicked his eyes back to Kakashi. A frown was threatening to form on his face.</p><p> </p><p>“Are you sure?” Kakashi drawled, reaching one hand up to tug at the edge of his mask.</p><p> </p><p>Kushina sighed and nodded again. “Yes, just show me!”</p><p> </p><p>“Under my mask…” Kakashi started to pull it down, and my heart caught in my chest. <em>Was this really happening?</em></p><p> </p><p>“Is…”</p><p> </p><p>I couldn’t take my eyes away from Kakashi’s face as the mask came down lower, nothing visible yet but in just a few more seconds… Kushina seemed to be almost trembling with anticipation beside me. Kakashi lowered the mask, started to pull his hand away -</p><p> </p><p>“Another mask.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>In hindsight, I’m not really sure what I was expecting, but that didn’t make it any easier to swallow the pain.</em>
</p><hr/><p> </p><p>“Kakashi, I’m ordering you to walk Yasuko back to the orphanage!” Kushina pointed her finger at Kakashi like a general issuing an order to their least favourite troop.</p><p> </p><p>We had finished eating – Kushina and I had split Kakashi’s bowl between us while Kushina also forced Minato to make a solemn promise not to ever speak about Kakashi’s mask prank again. Minato had paid and we had all ambled out onto the street.</p><p> </p><p>Kakashi was slightly slumped, both hands in his pockets, looking every bit a grouchy teenager but with an undeniably more threatening air. Even what little of his chakra I could sense seemed off, like a live wire about to spark. I honestly wasn’t sure if it would be a good idea for him to walk with me – I needed more time to think about how I should go about approaching him. I knew that young Kakashi had been through an absolute shit-show and now he was at both his most vulnerable and his most dangerous.</p><p> </p><p>He was, essentially, a living collection of neurosis.</p><p> </p><p>Even Minato didn’t look entirely comfortable with the idea, his eyes glancing somewhat nervously over at Kakashi.</p><p> </p><p>“I’m sure that Kakashi would like too, but he’s probably tired after his mission,” Minato said, looking at me with an apologetic smile. “I’m sorry, Yasuko. Kushina and I will walk you back instead.”</p><p> </p><p>“Nope!” Kushina literally put her foot down, missing Minato’s exposed toes by mere inches.</p><p> </p><p>Minato let out a full-body shiver.</p><p> </p><p>“Yasuko is interested in becoming a shinobi. She’ll be starting at the academy soon, and we all know how important it is for young shinobi to <em>have a mentor</em>.” Kushina stressed the last few words, staring pointedly at Minato. “And we all know how much Kakashi would like to <em>mentor someone</em>.”</p><p> </p><p>Everything suddenly started to fall into place, and this time it was me who let out the full-body shiver. Kushina didn’t just want Kakashi to mentor me.<em> She wanted me to be Kakashi’s rehabilitation project. </em></p><p>
  
</p><p>“I have definitively never said that,” Kakashi said, staring at Kushina like she had just grown three heads. “But I will walk the girl back to the orphanage if it will get you to stop talking.”</p><p> </p><p>“She’s not <em>the girl</em>, her name is Yasuko, and if you seriously just took the time to <em>talk</em> to someone, maybe you would learn –"</p><p> </p><p>“Kushina, this isn’t a good time.” Minato’s hand rested gently on her shoulder, and she paused her rant to look up at him. Her eyes were a little wet again.</p><p> </p><p>“But Minato, he can’t go on like this, it isn’t healthy, he needs –"</p><p> </p><p>“I understand, but we’ll talk about this at home,” Minato said, squeezing her shoulder.</p><p> </p><p>Kushina sighed and went silent.</p><p> </p><p>Minato looked back at Kakashi and I. I felt like an intruder - like I had stumbled onto something that I wasn’t meant to see. Kushina’s concern for Kakashi felt a little too raw, too real. I turned to look at Kakashi, but he was evidently doing his best to disassociate himself from Kushina’s outburst and Minato’s worried blue eyes. He was watching the sky, hands still in his pockets, his chakra flickering but steady.</p><p> </p><p>After a tense silence, Kakashi turned away from Minato and Kushina and slowly ambled off in the direction of the orphanage. I started to go after him, jogging a little to take up place in his shadow.</p><p> </p><p>“Yasuko!” Kushina called out, and I turned around to see her waving at me with a smile on her face. Her eyes were still noticeably wet and her nose a little red. “I’ll see you around, you know!”</p><p> </p><p>“For sure! Thank you for lunch, Kushina-san, and you too, Yondaime-sama!” I waved back, and Minato also lifted his hand in parting, a soft, sad smile on his face.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>I really hope that what I said is true. I really hope that I will see you both again.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>I turned around to chase my sullen escort.</p><hr/><p> </p><p>After about twenty minutes it became clear that Kakashi was fucking with me.</p><p> </p><p>It was subtle, understated. Something only a master of bitch-craft could concoct.</p><p> </p><p>He would speed up, forcing me to jog or break out into a run to catch up to him. Just as I would manage to reach him, he would stop. Sometimes he would get distracted by a dango shop or a kitschy second-hand gift store. Sometimes he would abruptly turn down a narrow alley, forcing me to back-track to trace him. I got so close to losing him that I was forced to flare my chakra out to locate him. I still wasn’t great at sensing (it had been so much easier when there was no-one else around), but I was eventually able to track his weird, sparky energy down.</p><p> </p><p>By the time I managed to catch up to him in the ‘romance’ section of a dusty bookshop, I was panting and starting to feel drained. <em>My chakra reserves must be total crap, damn it!</em></p><p> </p><p>He barely spared me a glance as I tried to heave as quietly as possible next to him, putting both hands on my knees and breathing as deeply as I could.</p><p> </p><p>“What… is your… problem…” I wheezed out, coughing into the back of my hand. The sun was setting and I had no idea what part of Konoha we were in now. If Kakashi seriously didn’t get me back to the orphanage I was likely going to be starting my new life as a street urchin.</p><p> </p><p>“Oh, it’s you,” Kakashi said, the words managing to sound both detached and a little ominous. “Didn’t you go home?”</p><p> </p><p>“You… were meant to take me… to the… orphanage…” My legs were starting to shake, although I was desperately trying to hold myself together. I had the nasty feeling that if I fainted here Kakashi would simply wash his hands off me and call it a day.</p><p> </p><p>“Was I?” Kakashi drawled, turning to face me. He looked almost frightening in the darkening light. “Why didn’t you say anything?”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Okay, great. I’m clearly wasting my time here. He’s still in full-blown asshole-mode.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>I managed to catch my breath and stand up straight. My legs were still unsteady. Kakashi scanned my body quickly and raised his one visible eyebrow.</p><p> </p><p>“You win.” I said, trying to keep the hurt out of my voice. I really didn’t want to sound like a little girl right now. “I give up.”</p><p> </p><p>I turned on my heel and walked out of the bookshop, feeling bold, strong and –</p><p> </p><p>Entirely lost.</p><p> </p><p>The street was mostly dark now, the sun’s red rays slowly dipping behind some heavy cloud. I could smell the water in the air – it would be raining soon, and heavily too. I looked up and down the street, trying to find something familiar. There was nothing, except the old bookstore I had just burst out off and a seedy-looking bar a few shops up that was just starting to open.</p><p> </p><p>I groaned in frustration. How had I let this happen? I’d let the idea of spending time with Kakashi outweigh what I knew about him. I didn’t think that he was the type of person to try to abandon a kid at night, but I did know that he was going through, well… a rough patch, to put it mildly. It probably wasn’t a great idea to try to depend on him to get me home.</p><p> </p><p>I rubbed my forehead and closed my eyes. <em>Think</em>. <em>How do ninja find their way around? Is there some kind of technique that I could use to trace my steps?</em> <em>Team 8 was the tracking team, that was Hinata, Shino and Kiba. I don’t have magic eyes so that’s not going to work. I am also (fortunately) not covered in bugs so that’s a no go. Kiba… had a good boy to assist him. I have a bad, scary boy who has probably shushined into oblivion by now. But maybe…</em></p><p> </p><p>My eyes popped open. I took a deep breath and started to focus my chakra, willing it to flare out in search of, well… me. I’d been frantic when I was searching for Kakashi, and I was sure that I had unknowingly been using my chakra to enhance my steps. If I could find remnants of that chakra, then maybe I could get home.</p><p> </p><p>I focused hard, willing the chakra that I had left to expand, search, find –</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Yes!</em>
</p><p> </p><p>A pulse came from the alley to my right. I turned, walked down it and found that I could feel my old footsteps pulse like a distant echo.</p><p> </p><p>I was so pleased with my new little discovery that I didn’t feel the shadow drop down behind me. It wasn’t until the ominous but familiar chakra started to coat my own that I froze, too hesitant to turn around.</p><p> </p><p>“That wasn’t exactly good, but it wasn’t terrible either.”</p><p> </p><p>Kakashi’s voice was slightly less snide this time, and I managed to turn around and get a closer look at him. His face seemed softer than it had in the bookshop, his hands still in his pockets but his posture disarming.</p><p> </p><p>“You need to work on your chakra control. You use too much when you panic. And I can tell just by looking at you that your taijutsu is pathetic.” Kakashi didn’t pay any attention to the indignant look on my face and simply pointed further down the street. “The quickest way to the orphanage is this way. Let’s go.”</p><p> </p><p>He started off again, but this time I reached out and grabbed his arm. He looked at my hand, raised his brow, but he didn’t immediately shake me off.</p><p> </p><p>“That… was a training exercise?” I asked, my hand tightening on his arm.</p><p> </p><p>Kakashi shrugged. I resisted the urge to scream.</p><p> </p><p>“It was cruel. I thought you were going to leave me.” I said, and I knew that the words were ridiculous and childish before I even finished saying them.</p><p> </p><p>Kakashi lifted my hand off his arm. “It was cruel.” He agreed, his head turning towards the night sky. “But so is being a shinobi.”</p><p> </p><p>I watched the way that the bright, clear stars reflected in his dark eye and I felt his soul ache so keenly that I grabbed my chest to try to make it <em>stop</em>.</p><p> </p><p>We stood in the street for a while, Kakashi’s head in the stars and my eyes fixed on him. When the rain finally started, it broke the spell.</p><p> </p><p>“Let’s go.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hi there! This one was a bit of a slog to write - it is my first time trying to write for Kakashi, and I just love his character so much that I feel like he's hard to get right. I'm hoping that I will improve as we go along. Anyway, I hope that this one is okay, I will have another up shortly. Thank you for reading!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Choices</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>I held my knees to my chest, staring listlessly out the small, dark window. I could hear the rain drumming a heavy beat against the glass.  Large droplets raced down the pane, reflecting shards of neon light.</p><p> </p><p>Kakashi had managed to get me back into the orphanage without altering any of the caretakers. I wasn’t sure if he had done that because he had picked up on my nervousness as we had approached the orphanage, or if he just simply didn’t want to deal with anyone questioning him about my whereabouts.</p><p> </p><p>He’d left me standing in the corridor outside of the bedroom that I shared with several other kids. The shaky, desolate sobs of the new arrivals still managed to beat out the heavy rain. He’d patted my head once before he turned to leave, in a motion that I considered to be more of a ‘sorry kid’ than a goodbye.</p><p> </p><p>It had been a big day. Speaking with Mikoto, training with Itachi, meeting Kushina and Minato and engaging in a (mildly traumatic) exercise with Kakashi. All of these people, these interactions, had managed to bring my new reality home.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>And… the weight of the promise that I had made had settled in.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>I shifted a little, the cold night air seeping under the window and brushing against my skin.</p><p> </p><p>I was thinking about interfering in these people’s lives. If I was successful, there was a chance that I could save them all from a lot of pain. If I failed, which was a real possibility, then I could make everything worse. Perhaps I already had.</p><p> </p><p>And my first real challenge… would be Obito Uchiha unleashing the Nine-Tails. If the original timeline still held true, then I only had a few months to prepare… or decide to do nothing.</p><p> </p><p>I couldn’t stop my hands from trembling.</p><p> </p><p>I had thought about this for fun in my past life. If Minato survived the Nine-Tails attack, then maybe he could have controlled Danzo and, in turn, prevented the Uchiha massacre. Minato and Fugaku Uchiha seemed to have a relationship, and I was sure that Minato would not have agreed to relegate the Uchiha to the outskirts of the village.</p><p>But… if Minato and Kushina survived, what would happen to Naruto? If he didn’t have the Nine-Tails – no, if he didn’t have the childhood he had in the original series, would he still be able to make all the connections that he needed too to change the shinobi world and defeat Kaguya?</p><p> </p><p>And, if my goal was to stop the Uchiha massacre, there was still another way that I could try to do that without Minato. Shisui Uchiha had the <em>kotoamatsukami</em>, the Uchiha’s ultimate genjutsu. If I could stop Danzo from taking his eye, he could cast a powerful genjutsu over the Uchiha clan that would force them to protect Konoha.</p><p> </p><p>That would give me more time. I could develop a relationship with Itachi and Shisui, make them trust me, so that when the time came they would listen. And if I could also get Kakashi on side…</p><p> </p><p>I chewed my thumb, mindlessly drawing a drop of blood. I stared at it as it dribbled down my hand and marked the white bedsheets. The rain seemed to fall harder, the sound flooding my ears.</p><p> </p><p><em>Kakashi</em>.</p><p> </p><p>He was already so broken. If I let his sensei die, what would that do to him? Would I even be able to reach him? It had taken him years to soften in the original series and he had spent most of that time in the ANBU, brutally taking out his opponents with a suicidal rage.</p><p> </p><p>What could I do, in the face of all that pain?</p><p> </p><p>And Naruto – could I ever look him in the eyes, knowing that I had the chance to save his parents?</p><p> </p><p>My whole body was trembling now, and I felt wet, hot tears fall down my face.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>What could possibly I do?</em>
</p><p> </p><hr/><p>I found myself wandering aimlessly the next day, kicking a small stone down the streets of Konoha. Dawn turned to dusk, crowds formed and faded, and I still didn’t have an answer.</p><p> </p><p>My feet finally started to burn and I looked up from the ground for the first time all day to search for a seat. I eventually perched myself on the edge of a small, red bridge, staring into the rushing blue river below. The lingering orange in the sky was caught by the water, and I could see my new face with its vacant blue eyes and wild blonde hair gazing steadily back at me.</p><p> </p><p>I’d gone over every possible scenario, but one horrible fact kept racing around my mind. It was all well and good for me to imagine what might happen if I saved Minato and Kushina from the Nine-Tails attack, but I needed to confront the brutal truth. I was a child, with no skill and no voice. At most, I could try to drop them a hint that something was coming, but there was no guarantee that they would listen to me.</p><p> </p><p>My hands clenched around the bridge’s railing, and I knew that I was going to cry again.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>How could I have all this knowledge, and still be so helpless? </em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>Training was the only thing that I could think to do. It was going to be too little, too late but would be better than sitting and waiting for the inevitable. I could try to build a relationship with Minato and Kushina in the hope that I could find another way. Working with Itachi would also be essential. He could make me stronger but he would also be the most important person for me to lean on going forward.</p><p> </p><p>And Kakashi…</p><p> </p><p>I remembered the way he had looked when he had been watching the stars, guarded but deeply lost. If I could find a way to get through to him, give him something to care about, maybe… just <em>maybe</em>…</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>I could save him.</em>
</p><hr/><p> </p><p>It had been a couple of weeks since I had first met Itachi, and I had somehow managed to settle into a rhythm. I would wake up with the sun – while I had never been much of a morning person in my old life (dead to the world until I was force-fed coffee), this seemed to be one benefit of having a younger body.</p><p> </p><p>I would sneak into the kitchen, grabbing a spiced-plum rice ball or apple for breakfast, and then I would head over to the public training grounds. Occasionally there would be real shinobi already out training – they were mostly friendly, smiling and waving at me as I jogged by. I guess I must have looked pretty funny, a tiny girl flying by with food hanging from her mouth trying to find an empty field to ‘train’ in.</p><p> </p><p>Kakashi and Itachi had both told me that I needed to focus on my chakra control, but I still didn’t have much understanding of what that meant. I was still trying to master the tree-walking exercise, finding that I could now scale most trees but only if I was concentrating. It took too much out of me to do simple tasks and my sensing was still leaning towards abysmal. I couldn’t really flare my chakra out if I didn’t have any to spare!</p><p> </p><p>There was another, slightly more glaring problem too. My taijutsu. Kakashi hadn’t exactly been right when he said that it was ‘pathetic’ – it was closer to simply being ‘non-existent.’ Aside from the shuriken training that I had managed to do with Itachi, I’d never had any experience with that kind of fighting. Having a chakra-enhanced system made it easier to perform basic taijutsu moves that I never would have thought myself capable of a few weeks ago, but I was quickly understanding that meant nothing in the shinobi world.</p><p> </p><p>I could only thank my lucky stars that I’d managed to befriend the Uchiha heir. Most mornings, he would eventually join me on the training field, always dropping out of nowhere and catching me off-guard. Recently, he’d taken to bringing me small snacks, fishing them out of a little black backpack which also seemed to hold an unreasonable amount of shuriken. I suspected that the treats were gifts from Mikoto.</p><p> </p><p>Itachi was so far ahead of me in every sense of the word that it was actually a little difficult for us to train together, no matter how patient he was. Itachi’s taijutsu was impressive, a unique Uchiha method that made me look like I was moving in slow-motion by comparison. Learning how to block his moves was a trial by fire, and I would often end the morning sitting on my ass, littered in bruises while Itachi hovered above me murmuring little ‘sorrys!’.</p><p> </p><p>Itachi could also use ninjutsu, which was frankly terrifying. I’d never really thought much of the Uchiha’s fireball jutsu, but to feel the heat of a <em>katon; goukakyuu no jutsu</em> brush by you was something else. Not that he was even aiming it at me – at my current level, Itachi would incinerate me before I even had the chance to think ‘<em>oh shit</em>’.</p><p> </p><p>Despite all of my shortcomings, Itachi somehow found the patience to keep showing up.</p><p> </p><p>“You are getting better, Yasuko.” He said, squeezing my shoulder one morning when I had (embarrassingly) burst into tears out of sheer frustration when I failed to land a single hit on him yet again. “You just have to keep going.”</p><p> </p><p>Occasionally, Itachi wouldn’t show and I would feel gnawing anxiety in the pit of my stomach. I couldn’t help but think that he was done with me, that I was too useless to befriend. But he would always be at the training ground early the next day, small hand raised in greeting and with an apology ready.</p><p> </p><p>This morning, I had gotten to the training ground extra early. The sun hadn’t risen yet and I couldn’t feel anyone else around. <em>Perfect!</em></p><p> </p><p>I took out the shuriken set that Itachi had given me as a gift a few days ago and set myself up on a field covered in targets, trying to use some of the new techniques Itachi had shown me to hit multiple targets with a single shuriken.</p><p> </p><p>I lost myself in the motion, throwing my shuriken until I ran out, jogging back and forth to collect them, and starting again. Eventually, I felt the sun’s warm rays on my back and…</p><p> </p><p>Another chakra signature. Someone was close by, hanging in the bushes –</p><p> </p><p>Watching me.</p><p> </p><p>I whipped around, trying to hone in on the actual location of the person, clutching my shuriken to my chest.</p><p> </p><p>“Who’s there?” I called out, hoping that it would be better to confront the person straight up.</p><p> </p><p>There was a rustling noise, the sound of moving feet, and then the bushes on my right-hand side seemed to explode in a flash of green and… orange.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Oh god.</em>
</p><p> </p><p> “I didn’t mean to scare you, little girl, but I was observing your training!”</p><p> </p><p>The man who was standing in front of me was unmistakable. Gleaming black hair cut into a tight bowl, two of the bushiest brows you have ever seen, and a full-body green spandex suit accompanied by two bright orange legwarmers.</p><p> </p><p>Gai grinned, his hand outstretched towards me with his thumb up. “Your hard work should be commended!” He bellowed, “I’ve watched you head out to the training fields at the crack of dawn each day. You’ll be a great shinobi if you keep it up!”</p><p> </p><p>“I – um, thank you.” I stuttered, fighting an instinctive urge to turn on my heel and run. <em>How could he possibly be so enthusiastic at this hour? </em></p><p> </p><p>“No problem!” Gai said, and I genuinely believed that he meant it. He started to turn away when an idea flashed into my head, and I reached out towards him.</p><p> </p><p>“Um, sir? Are you… by any chance… um…” I twiddled my thumbs a little, trying to make my childish act convincing, “Konoha’s green beast?”</p><p> </p><p>Gai’s smile almost blinded me. “I sure am! I am Might Gai, Konoha’s noble green beast and taijutsu master,” He dragged the last word out, proud of his own accomplishments.</p><p> </p><p>“That’s amazing!” I clasped my hands together, stepping towards him, “Is there any chance that you could please give me some tips on my taijutsu? I’ve been sparing with a friend, but he beats me every time!”</p><p> </p><p>“Oh?” Gai looked interested, “Who is your friend? I haven’t seen many other kids practicing at this hour,” He said thoughtfully, rubbing his chin.</p><p> </p><p>“Well…” I shifted a little awkwardly, something telling me that I probably shouldn’t give him Itachi’s name, “He’s an Uchiha.”</p><p> </p><p>Something seemed to light up in Gai and I could practically feel the flames ripping off him. He clenched his fists dramatically and looked at me with bright, shining eyes.</p><p> </p><p>“If there’s one thing I know, it’s how to beat the sharingan in battle!” Gai declared, and I suddenly realised that I might have made a mistake. I was just hoping for a few moves I could practice, but something was telling me that Gai was about to put me on a training regime.</p><p> </p><p>As if to prove my worst fears correct, Gai kneeled down, leaned in and grabbed my shoulder.</p><p> </p><p>“Listen, kid, it’s not going to be easy, but it will be worth it!” He held his clenched fist in front of my face. “What you’re going to want to do is…”</p><p> </p><p>My eyes slowly widened as Gai laid out my new training regime.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>He was insane. And I was going to die.</em>
</p><hr/><p>
  
</p><p>“Are you okay, Yasuko?” Itachi’s voice was as mild as ever as he observed me lying prone on the grass, my chest heaving angrily.</p><p> </p><p>“I’m – I’m actually not sure,” I stuttered, and I meant it. Every bone in my body felt like it was bruised and every muscle had been pushed beyond its breaking point. Gai had finally left me alone a few minutes ago after extracting a broken promise from me that I would keep up with my new regime. In return, he had left me with a new pair of leg weights that I doubted I would ever be able to lift.</p><p> </p><p>Itachi sat on the grass next to me and gingerly ran a hand through my hair, pushing it off my sweaty face. I smiled up at him apologetically.</p><p> </p><p>“Would you like to come over for lunch?” He asked, and I was grateful that he didn’t ask me any questions. I wasn’t sure that I was ready to relive my morning.</p><p> </p><p>“That sounds really good, thank you Itachi. Would Mikoto-san mind?” I asked, trying (and failing) and sit up.</p><p> </p><p>Itachi shook his head and turned around, kneeling with his hands out behind him.</p><p> </p><p>“Can you get on?” He asked.</p><p> </p><p>“I’ll try,” I replied, my voice defeated. With a little groaning and maneuvering, I managed to get onto Itachi’s back. He stood up easily, piggy-backing me as if I (and my absurdly heavy leg weights) were nothing. I scooped up my little shuriken set and we headed towards the Uchiha compound.</p><p>
  
  
</p><p>Mikoto had greeted me with a sweet smile, and lunch had been delicious. I hadn’t realised how much I had missed sitting down to a proper meal, and Mikoto had made a little comment about wishing that I had come back sooner that had made my heart full.</p><p> </p><p>It had started raining again after we had eaten, and Itachi and I had retreated to a smaller room to sit under a kotatsu and watch the water fall on the Uchiha’s internal courtyard.</p><p> </p><p>“Itachi?”</p><p> </p><p>“Hm?” He looked up from his place on the floor, tucked under the kotatsu.</p><p> </p><p>“Why are you being so nice to me?” I asked. It was a childish question, I didn’t want to ask him, but I felt like I needed to hear his answer. Itachi had been nothing but kind and patient to me since he had stumbled across me in the training field, and no matter how much I tried to rationalise it, I just couldn’t understand <em>why</em>. Maybe it was just the insecurity that had haunted me in my first life raising its ugly head, but I needed to hear it from him.</p><p> </p><p>Itachi’s dark eyes were searching mine, and I was sure that he caught all of my poorly-hidden emotions. He was still a child, but he was a child that had seen already seen more pain and suffering than I could imagine and I had no doubt that he could read me like an open book.</p><p> </p><p>“You’re kind too,” He said after a long pause, sitting up. His fringe flopped over his eyes but his gaze didn’t falter, “You work hard, and you don’t…” He paused, trying to find the words, “You don’t act like the others.”</p><p> </p><p>“The others?” I asked, but I suspected that I knew the answer.</p><p> </p><p>“Other… kids,” Itachi settled on, and I saw discomfort flash in his eyes for the first time. “I don’t really have any other friends,” He murmured quietly, turning to look across the courtyard again.</p><p> </p><p>I felt a flash of guilt that I couldn’t really place. He was just a boy, and he was lonely. I had been using him for training, and I hadn’t given a whole lot of thought to how he must be feeling. I was going to change that.</p><p> </p><p>“Well, you have me now,” I said firmly, and I couldn’t stop myself from giving him a big thumbs-up. “And I don’t have any other friends either, so you better not ditch me when we get to the Academy!”</p><p> </p><p>Itachi turned back to me, and his smile was so bright that I could almost forget the pain in my legs.</p><p> </p><p><em>Almost</em>.</p><p> </p><p>We spent the rest of the afternoon under the warm blankets of the kotatsu, chatting and laughing occasionally but mostly sitting in comfortable silence.</p><p> </p><p>As the rainy afternoon gave way to the cold night, I had the terrible feeling that this would be one of the last times that we would be so comfortable.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Yikes, another tricky chapter! I think this one was difficult because I'm just so excited to get to the next one, which I accidentally started writing before I did this - oops. Sorry for all the exposition in this one, but I think I needed to get it done so that we could move on. Anyway, I hope this was okay, and the new chapter will be coming soon! I hope that everyone is keeping safe Xxx</p><p>P.S. The chapter title... it definitely a reference to the lovely Tatianna. Choices.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Seasons</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>I hesitantly cracked my left eye open. Bright daylight flooded in, too warm and too heavy, and I closed my eye again quickly. There was a soft breeze dancing over my exposed upper body, my jacket lying somewhere near my head.</p><p> </p><p>I had managed to fall asleep under the kotatsu. This was the second time I’d passed out unannounced in the Uchiha residence. I felt my face flush at the thought – I really needed to buy Mikoto some kind of thank-you gift when I managed to get a job…</p><p> </p><p>A soft foot nudged my legs under the covers of the kotatsu, and I opened my eyes again. Itachi’s grey eyes were staring into mine, confusion settling over his brows.</p><p> </p><p>“Did we fall asleep?” He broke his gaze and looked over at the open double-doors, a little frown appearing on his face. “My dad won’t like that we left the doors open.”</p><p> </p><p>“Oh…” I murmured, my throat tight and dry, “I’ll tell him it was my fault. Because it was, I should have left earlier.”</p><p> </p><p>Itachi looked back at me, blinking a few times. I realised distantly that he was also trying hard to wake up, his face still soft and dreamy, hair still rumpled from sleep.</p><p> </p><p>“It’s okay, I’ll just say sorry when I see him.” Itachi said, reaching out and poking me in the forehead lightly. “We should go train.”</p><p> </p><p>“Do… do we have too?” My voice was a little whiney, even to my own ears, and I felt my flush grow and spread across my face. The truth was that I wasn’t entirely convinced that I could stand up at all. There was a curious absence of feeling in my upper legs that I was sure didn’t bode well.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Damn you, Might Gai!</em>
</p><p> </p><p>As if he could read my mind, Itachi just shook off my comment and sat up, stretching his arms out and yawning quietly. “You’ll feel better once you get out there. I can carry you if it’s really bad.”</p><p> </p><p>I tried to sit up and found that my numbness had spread to my hips.</p><p> </p><p>“It’s really bad,” I confirmed, frowning grumpily. Itachi’s shoulders shook a little when he noticed my expression, barely managing to hold back a laugh.</p><p> </p><p>He shook his hair out and stood up, stretching one more time while I was stuck pouting on the floor. It really wasn’t fair.</p><p> </p><p>Itachi padded around the room, grabbing his black backpack and packing my shuriken kit and my (cursed) leg weights into it. When he was satisfied, he knelt next to me and scooped me up, jumping onto the balcony and into the nearest tree so quickly that I had to suppress the stupid little scream that threatened to escape me.</p><p> </p><p>“Too fast!” I croaked out, clinging onto Itachi’s black shirt for dear life, my nails scrabbling for purchase against the smooth fabric.  </p><p> </p><p>This time he let his laugh ring out freely through the trees, and I could have sworn that he just sped up in response.</p><hr/><p> </p><p>Summer came slowly, and then all at once.</p><p> </p><p>In my first life, I was used to hot, long days, sheltering under the air conditioning inside my light-filled apartment. In the gloomy orphanage, it was easy to forget that there was any warmth outside.</p><p> </p><p>Still, there was no doubt that Konoha was opening up again. People returned to the streets, more and more shops were opening their doors, and on quiet nights I could hear soft music floating on the wind. I had overheard the caretakers talking about the new Hokage ordering a summer festival to lift everyone’s moods, and I was excited. I wanted desperately to have a fun night, to wash away the worry that had been plaguing me since I had been so abruptly dropped into this world.</p><p> </p><p>At our next morning training session, I tried to pluck up the courage to ask Itachi if he would come with me. It wouldn’t be any fun without a friend, and Itachi was definitely the only person I was comfortable giving that label at the moment. I hadn’t run into Kakashi, Minato or Kushina again, and Might Gai…</p><p> </p><p>I shivered involuntarily. Gai had taken to popping up at least twice a week at the training ground, always bursting out of a nearby bush and urging me to work ‘with the full power of my youth!’. He never appeared when Itachi was around, thank god, but his manic training was already working wonders. I felt stronger than I ever had, and my chakra control was better for it. My confidence was slowly building with my physical improvement, and while I was still far away from being a threat to Itachi in a fight, at the very least I could block his hits and even return a few of my own.</p><p> </p><p>“Yasuko?” Itachi’s voice broke my train of thought. He was sitting in the grass next to me, a puzzled look on his face. “What are you thinking?”</p><p> </p><p>“Oh!” I laughed a little, rubbing the back of my head sheepishly. “Sorry! Um…” I suddenly found myself very interested in the grass at my feet, reaching down to tug on it. “I was just wondering… do you know about that summer festival? The one Mina- I mean, the Hokage is organising for tomorrow night?”</p><p> </p><p>“Yes,” Itachi said simply, his eyes flicking down to my hands.</p><p> </p><p>I sighed, resigning myself to my fate, “Well… would you maybe want to go with me? I haven’t been to a Konoha festival yet, and it won’t be any fun without you.”</p><p> </p><p>“Oh.”</p><p> </p><p>Itachi’s voice was strange, a little too soft, and I stared at him curiously. To my horror, a bright red flush was currently spreading across his nose.</p><p> </p><p>“Yasuko… you wanted to go with me?” Itachi’s hand was gripping the base of his shirt and thought I heard the slightest tremble in his usually calm voice.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Oh god, what had I done?</em>
</p><p> </p><p>“Yes?” I tried, abandoning the grass and nervously holding my hands against my chest. “I mean… only if you wanted too?”</p><p> </p><p>“I… I can’t,” Itachi said, and I tried to keep my little gasp in but failed.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Why? I thought… that we were friends… </em>
</p><p> </p><p>“Not because I don’t want too!” Itachi jumped in quickly, reaching out to grab my hands. “It’s just… well, that’s my birthday, and I’ve got to spend it with my clan.”</p><p> </p><p>“It’s your birthday?” I yelped, standing up quickly and dragging Itachi with me. I gripped his hands tightly, “You weren’t going to tell me? I need to get you a gift, or a card, or something, especially if I can’t hang out with you on the day!” I shook his hands in my own, “Itachi! Why didn’t you tell me?”</p><p> </p><p>“It really doesn’t matter.” He sounded a little shocked at my outburst, and I noticed that the red flush across his nose just grew darker, “I’ll have other birthdays.”</p><p> </p><p>“But…” I muttered lamely, releasing his hands and flopping back onto the grass. “It’s a special day.”</p><p> </p><p>Itachi stood for a moment longer, blinking down at me, before he also flopped down beside me.</p><p> </p><p>We sat in silence for a moment.</p><p> </p><p>“Yasuko.” Itachi said, and I turned to look at him. His eyes weren’t quite shining, but there was something deep and unknowable floating just out of my grasp, “Thank you for inviting me. I wish…” He sighed and turned his face to the sky, the light blue reflecting in his dark eyes, “I really wish I could just go with you.”</p><p> </p><p>“Me too.” I murmured, also turning to watch the sky.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>It must be hard, to be a clan heir. Always carrying the weight of your clan’s expectations, giving up your childhood. But… I guess that goes for all shinobi. In my first life, I certainly wasn’t training for anything at this age. I just spent my day doing whatever I wanted, playing with my own imagination. Itachi has never been able to do any of that.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>Horrible visions flashed through my mind. Itachi, hands shaking and tears flooding his face as he strikes down his mother and father. Sasuke, screaming as Itachi shows him exactly what fate befell his clan…</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>I can’t… let that happen… </em>
</p><p> </p><p>“Happy early Birthday, Itachi.” I said, and I reached out across the grass to grab his hand.</p><p> </p><p>“Thank you, Yasuko.” His little hand squeezed mine, and we spent the rest of the afternoon watching the clouds pass.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Shikamaru was right. This is the best way to spend a day.</em>
</p><hr/><p> </p><p>Itachi or no Itachi, I wasn’t going to let that stop me from exploring the festival!</p><p> </p><p>That was all well and good, but I had never really done well around large crowds, and the festival was no exception. There were food stalls everywhere, the smells tantalising, and live music rang out from every street. Bright lanterns illuminated the dark streets and I tried to push against the swarm of beautifully dressed and smiling people.</p><p> </p><p>It was harder than I thought it would be. The night was warm and welcoming, but I hadn’t felt so alone for quite a while. The loneliness was easy to push away during the day. I could distract myself with my training and at least I could interact with Itachi and (on occasion) Gai. But this…</p><p> </p><p>There were families everywhere, and I couldn’t help but picture the family I had left behind. I had no family here, no history, and the thought of that was almost enough to make me sit down in the street and pray for the crowd to trample me –</p><p> </p><p>“Yasuko!”</p><p> </p><p>The loud voice rang clearly through the crowd, and I looked up to find Kushina smiling down at me.</p><p> </p><p>“It’s so good to see you again!” She reached towards me, and to my surprise she picked me up easily, settling me on her hip. Her stomach was already much bigger then it was the last time we met but she looked healthy and happy. “Are you enjoying the festival?”</p><p> </p><p>“I- I am. It’s all a bit overwhelming though.” I said, blinking rapidly. I had been close to tears a moment ago, but Kushina’s bright chakra was surrounding me, calming me.</p><p> </p><p>“Well, how about you hang out with us then?” Kushina shifted me higher on her hip and started walking towards a quieter food stall where a certain blonde-haired man wearing a white coat was sitting peacefully. The mouth-watering smell of yakitori hit my nose and my stomach growled.</p><p> </p><p>I gripped it, embarrassed, but Kushina just laughed.</p><p> </p><p>“Don’t worry! This is Minato’s festival, so the least he can do is treat us to a meal.” She sat down next to Minato, resting me on her lap and reaching across to nudge his arm. “What do you say to that, Hokage-sama?”</p><p> </p><p>Minato laughed, his blue eyes shutting for a moment. “Of course. Is there anything you would like, Yasuko?”</p><p> </p><p>“Oh, I… I’m not really hungry.” I had barely gotten the words out when my stomach growled loudly in protest. I could help but ‘shush’ it, much to the enjoyment of both Minato and Kushina.</p><p> </p><p>“I’ll just get something for everyone then.” Minato said, giving me a soft smile.</p><p> </p><p>“And please get double for me!” Kushina chirped happily, looking down at me and smoothing my hair out of my face. “I’m eating for two, you know!”</p><hr/><p> </p><p>Kakashi was, by Kushina’s count, at least two hours late. He took her disappointment fairly well, settling down on the seat next to me. I was busy munching my way through our second order of yakitori at Minato’s urging.</p><p> </p><p>“Kakashi, you could at least say hello to your future student!” Kushina nearly yelled at him, her fist clenched.</p><p> </p><p>Kakashi fixed his single lazy eye on me and raised three fingers in greeting. I waved my half-eaten meat stick at him in response. I could have sworn that his lips twitched under his mask. He looked tired, and if I had a moment alone with him I was going to try to figure out why, but right now I really needed to try to get as much information out of Minato and Kushina as I possibly could. I knew that Mikoto was close to giving birth, which meant that Kushina couldn’t be too far behind. I had to use this opportunity to find out how much more time I had to come up with a plan.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>And, also, you know – eat as many yakitori as possible before I bankrupted the Hokage. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>“Are you really the Hokage now, Minato-sama?” I said, swallowing my latest mouthful and trying to look as innocent as possible. Kushina laughed and I felt her belly move against my back.</p><p> </p><p>Minato reached out and patted my head softly. “Yes, Yasuko. I’m the Yondaime Hokage.”</p><p> </p><p>“Do you like it?” I tried, giving him a smile.</p><p> </p><p>“Of course.” Minato’s voice was steady, and he ruffled my hair for a moment before withdrawing his hand. I heard Kakashi let out a snort next to me.</p><p> </p><p>“Kushina-hime?” I tried next, looking up at her bright green eyes. She was smiling broadly at me, clearly pleased with my choice of suffix. “How long until your baby is here?”</p><p> </p><p>“I’ve still got about four months, you know.” She said thoughtfully, reaching for another yakitori. “But the baby is already super active. I think he’s going to be as fast as his father!”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Four months. That means we’re still on track for the attack in October. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>“Doubt it.” Kakashi’s voice was cutting, and the three of us looked over at him. His arms were crossed and he was leaning back into his seat.</p><p> </p><p>“Hey!” Kushina started, making to stand, but Minato just put his hand across her belly gently.</p><p> </p><p>“It’s okay.” He said to her, and then he narrowed his eyes slightly at Kakashi. “Kakashi. I think you should take Yasuko to play some games.”</p><p> </p><p>Minato reached into his pocket and pulled out a small brown wallet. He opened it and flicked through it for a moment, before grabbing my hands and placing quite a few <em>ryo</em> into them.</p><p> </p><p>I gasped loudly and tried to thrust the bills back towards him. “Minato-sama, I really can’t take all this, you’ve already treated me to two meals, please, I just can’t-“</p><p> </p><p>“Of course I can.” Minato cut me off easily, and Kushina reached out and closed my hands around the bills.</p><p> </p><p>“You should go out and have fun, Yasuko.” She said, setting me back on the ground carefully. “And take this grumpy brat with you!” Kushina pointed at Kakashi fiercely, her finger quivering in the air.</p><p> </p><p>Kakashi just sighed loudly, getting off his chair and grabbing my shoulder.</p><p> </p><p>“Let’s go.” He said, steering me away from the yakitori stand. We were almost instantly swallowed again by the flurry of people, but this time Kakashi’s firm hand on my shoulder steered me through.</p><p> </p><p>We eventually ended up at a small stall with an old lady sitting at the entrance. She raised her hand in greeting when we emerged from the crowd.</p><p> </p><p>“Kakashi! It’s good to see you!” She called loudly, standing on her shaky legs and grasping Kakashi’s face in both her hands.</p><p>Kakashi didn’t make any effort to move away, but he did look deliciously uncomfortable. I hid my chuckle in my hands.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Clearly this is one of the little old ladies that Kakashi helps. So cute!</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>The old lady eventually released Kakashi’s face and turned her attention to me. I blanched as she grabbed me, and I could see Kakashi shooting me a look that just said ‘serves you right.’</p><p> </p><p>“Aren’t you cute?” She cooed, rubbing my cheeks with her wrinkled fingers. It was a little confronting, but she was just a sweet lady. I did my best to smile brightly.</p><p> </p><p>“T-Thank you!” I managed and the lady sighed contentedly.</p><p> </p><p>“Obaa-chan.” Kakashi interrupted, pointing at the small pool sitting in the middle of her stall. I hadn’t really paid much attention to it when we walked in, but now I could see the small goldfish swimming in it. “Can she play?”</p><p> </p><p>“Of course!” The obaa-chan directed me towards the pool and handed me a little rice-paper net.</p><p> </p><p>I knelt down next to the pool and studied the net carefully. It would definitely only last one dunk in the water. If I wanted to win one of the fish, I was going to need to be quick!</p><p> </p><p>Kakashi knelt next to me and pointed into the water. “You put the net in there.” He said drily, and I flicked my head to look at him angrily.</p><p> </p><p>“I know!” I replied, and I quickly scooped the net through the water, managing to net a smaller goldfish. “Yes!” I cried, ready to stand and celebrate my victory, when the rice-paper suddenly split and the little fish easily slid back into the water.</p><p> </p><p>I froze and stared at the net in disbelief. Kakashi nudged my shoulder after a moment.</p><p> </p><p>“You suck.”</p><hr/><p> </p><p>Sasuke’s birth was a little over a month later, and it was <em>traumatic</em>.</p><p> </p><p>Not for me – not really anyway – but you would have thought that Itachi was going into labor himself with the sheer amount of stress and panic he was producing.</p><p> </p><p>I woke in the middle of that fateful night when I felt an unusual weight settle at the end of my bed. I cracked one eye open and saw a shadowy figure sitting on my legs, reaching a hand towards me. I yelped and tried to scuttle back further on the bed, but the shadow just reached out and quickly covered my mouth.</p><p> </p><p>“Yasuko, it’s me.” The shadow whispered, and I recognised Itachi’s voice instantly. I relaxed and he withdrew his hand after searching my eyes to make sure I wasn’t going to scream. “Mum’s going into labor, can you come and stay with me?” His voice was soft, but the undertone of panic was impossible to miss.</p><p> </p><p>“For sure,” I confirmed, trying to be as enthusiastic as possible while still keeping quiet. I reached under my bed and pulled my jacket out, wrapping it around myself quickly. “Is that going to be okay with your dad?”</p><p> </p><p>I still hadn’t met Fugaku Uchiha, but I figured that he was terribly strict from Itachi’s stories. There was no way any self-respecting man would miss the birth of his second child, so I assumed that he would be there, and he would be impossible to miss.</p><p> </p><p>Itachi shook his head, helping me out of bed with one hand and then immediately scooping me up. He leaped out of the open window that he must have used to enter, and then we were flying across the village. I still wasn’t as fast as him, no matter how hard I trained.</p><p> </p><p>“Dad said it’s okay for me to have a friend.” Itachi eventually murmured, although it was hard for me to catch it against the rushing wind, “He said it would keep me out of the way.”</p><p> </p><p>“Oh.” I settled on, gripping his shirt tighter.</p><p> </p><p>The Uchiha compound was buzzing despite the late hour. There were some drunk men wobbling in the streets, while the clan’s women all seemed to be converging on the main house. Itachi and I landed in the center of the fuss, and the women reluctantly parted enough so that we could get through.</p><p> </p><p>I could hear the cries as soon as we entered, and I reached out to grip Itachi’s hand in reassurance. He was a little too pale.</p><p> </p><p>I had seen a birth before in my past life, and I knew the power and beauty of the whole process well. But that didn’t really make it any easier when it was your own mother.</p><p> </p><p>Itachi led us into the dining room, and we were met by a man that I knew to be Fugaku Uchiha. He was sitting with perfect posture, a dark blue robe covering his body, and his unmistakable frown lines etching deeper into his face.</p><p> </p><p>He didn’t spare either of us a look as Itachi settled us down on the opposite side of the dining table. His gaze was beyond his room, attuned only to the gentle cries of his wife.</p><p> </p><p>Itachi’s hand hasn’t left mine, and we waited there as night slowly gave way to dawn. I found myself nodding off occasionally, jolting upright every few minutes when Mikoto let out a particularly loud scream. Itachi would flinch each time, squeezing my hand a little too tight. I patted his arm in an attempt to be reassuring.</p><p> </p><p>The sun caught my eyes, and I squinted through the closed shutters of the dining room. The sun was rising higher in the sky – it had been hours. Surely, we were getting close, surely –</p><p>A cry. Not a woman’s cry, but the loud, bawling cry of a newly-born baby.</p><p> </p><p>Both of the Uchiha men leaped to their feet instantly and burst out of the room, Itachi trailing Fugaku. I stayed where I was, knowing that it wouldn’t be appropriate for me to intrude on the private family moment.</p><p> </p><p>As I heard the loud, desperate cries echo throughout the house, I could hear the cheering of Uchiha men and women on the streets outside. I smiled softly.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Welcome to the world, Sasuke Uchiha.</em>
</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hi again! Sorry for the delay - the last week has been really tough, as I'm sure it has been for everyone. This wasn't quite the chapter that I was envisioning, but it was getting wayyyyy too long so I decided to post this as it's own chapter! The next chapter is almost done so it won't take so long. I hope that you are all keeping well and safe - thank you as always for reading! xx</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Devastation</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Sasuke was swaddled in white cloth, cooing at Itachi happily. I held out my arms expectantly but Itachi only looked at me blankly.</p><p> </p><p>“Can I hold him?” I prompted, shaking my hands slightly to reinforce my gesture.</p><p> </p><p>“No.” Itachi replied quickly, and it looked like he had to fight the urge to physically move Sasuke away from me, “I-I don’t want him to cry.”</p><p> </p><p>“Why would he cry?” I asked curiously, putting my arms down and scooting in closer to him. I smiled down at Sasuke’s little baby face, only to find that he suddenly screwed his mouth up threateningly. Itachi immediately scooted away from me, giving me an apologetic smile.</p><p> </p><p>“He just doesn’t seem to like anyone.” Itachi sounded a bit exasperated as he gently rocked Sasuke back and forth, “He just did it to dad too.”</p><p> </p><p>“Wow,” I couldn’t help the judgement the seeped into my voice but Sasuke just grinned gummily up at Itachi. “I hope you’re ready to become a part-time father, Itachi.”</p><p> </p><p>Itachi just sighed heavily.</p>
<hr/><p>Despite my best efforts, the next few months passed in a blur. I felt like I was in an autumnal daze, as the warm, wet nights gave way to chilly, bright days. The green leaves that gave the village its name were quickly changing to fiery oranges that left me breathless. It was entirely impossible to ignore just how stunningly <em>beautiful</em> Konoha was.</p><p> </p><p>On nicer days, Itachi and I would pop by his favourite tea shop on the Uchiha compound and purchase three sticks of dango (one each, one to share) so that we could eat them on the small dock near Itachi’s home. The sun would warm my sore muscles and I would insist (never successfully) that Itachi let me pay him back for the dango. He always just gave me a little smile and claimed that he had nothing better to spend his pocket money on anyway.</p><p> </p><p>I had secretly kept a tally of how much I owed him. I was likely going to be in deep with Itachi for the rest of my life.</p><p> </p><p>Sometimes, Itachi managed to convince Mikoto to let us take Sasuke to the dock with us. Sasuke still put up a bit of a fuss when I would hold him, letting out a few sad little cries while staring mournfully at Itachi, but at least it was better than all-out bawling.</p><p> </p><p>Our training continued mostly as it always had, although Itachi had to leave earlier now to make sure that he was home in time to help Mikoto feed Sasuke. I would come with him some days to try to help Mikoto out where I could.</p><p> </p><p>I really needed to get her a gift. I still didn’t have a job, but I had managed to keep the money the Minato had given me at the festival. Kakashi had paid for all of the games we had played together that night although I had tried to pull my money out at every turn. He had just flicked me in the forehead and called me an idiot in response.</p><p> </p><p>I was walking back from the Uchiha compound when I noticed a small store selling animal brooches. They were within my price range, and they were actually pretty cute! I was staring thoughtfully at them while the late-night shopping crowd started to gather around me. If I could just figure out what type of animal Mikoto would like, I could give her one of these tomorrow…</p><p> </p><p>“Yasuko!” Kushina’s voice was bright and clear, rising above the gathering crowd. I turned towards her voice eagerly and waved my hand somewhat manically.</p><p> </p><p>“Kushina!” I called back, and the enthusiastic woman started barrelling towards me, her hand on her large stomach and white shopping bags resting in the crook of her elbows.</p><p> </p><p>“What are you doing here?” Kushina was a little out of breath by the time she reached me, but she greeted me like a friend, stretching her hand out to ruffle my hair. I smiled widely up at her.</p><p> </p><p>“I’m looking for a gift,” I replied, gesturing to the small stand of brooches I had been looking at.</p><p> </p><p>“Who is it for?” Kushina asked, her eyes sparkling when she noticed a small fox-shaped brooch.</p><p> </p><p>“Mikoto Uchiha.” I started fiddling with my hands out of habit, remembering again that the only reason I could afford to look for a gift for the new mother was because Minato had given it to me. “She’s been so kind to me, and I would really like to give her something nice in return.”</p><p> </p><p>“Oh?” Kushina sounded a little surprised, and she stared at me a little intensely. “Could you be… Itachi’s new friend?”</p><p> </p><p>I couldn’t stop the look of shock from crossing over my face but Kushina just laughed in response.</p><p> </p><p>“Mikoto is my friend, you know! We were both on the same squad when we were kids!” She pointed her thumb at her chest and gave me a wink, “She’s pretty relieved that her kid has made a friend, I think he’s been a bit of a loner, but she didn’t mention your name when we last spoke.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Of course, Mikoto and Kushina had been friends! Hadn’t Kushina met baby Sasuke for the first time right before she had Naruto? She’d even asked Mikoto if giving birth hurt!</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Um…” I cleared my throat and tried to calm my mind down, “I-I think I’m Itachi’s friend. Mikoto-hime has let me stay at their house a few times, and I haven’t really been able to help all that much with the new baby, so I just wanted to find something she would like.” I flushed and looked at my hands, “Do you think you could help me, Kushina-sama?”</p><p> </p><p>Kushina took both of my hands in her own, rubbing her thumbs comfortably over the back of my smaller hand and giving me a big smile in reply.</p><p> </p><p>“Of course! Now, Mikoto doesn’t really wear jewellery, but she does always need more hair clips…”</p>
<hr/><p>I wasn’t entirely sure how I ended up in Minato and Kushina’s home.</p><p> </p><p>Kushina and I had spent the afternoon shopping, eventually finding a small black hair clip shaped like a leaf that we both agreed would look good in Mikoto’s hair. When I had pulled out the crumpled bills that Minato had given me a to pay for it, Kushina had gotten a bit emotional. She had slammed her own wallet down on the table, insisting that the shocked clerk take her money, and had man-handled me into submission when I tried to protest.</p><p> </p><p>Insisting that I could pay her back by simply ‘helping her to take the shopping home’, she had loaded me up with the bags on her arms and frog-marched me back to the Uzumaki-Namikaze household.</p><p> </p><p>I was sitting, somewhat dazed, on a light green floor cushion while Kushina cooked dinner, humming under her breath and muttering to herself intermittently. Their home felt <em>warm</em> like love had seeped into every corner, the walls bright and the floor sparkling. Bookshelves were littered throughout the house, and I spotted a novel that looked suspiciously like Jiraiya’s <em>Tales of a Gutsy Ninja</em> sitting in pride of place on the dining room table. There was a vase full of sunflowers sitting on the kitchen bench, reflecting the yellow light that seemed to permeate the room.</p><p> </p><p>My heart clenched and I dug my nails into my leg.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Everything was so close. So close and I still didn’t have an answer. Maybe if I just tell Kushina now, maybe there’s a chance that she’ll believe me, maybe – </em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>The front door opened, cutting off my thoughts. Kushina and I both flicked our heads towards the new intrusion and Minato smiled brightly at the pair of us.</p><p> </p><p>“Yasuko! It’s so nice to see you again.” Minato didn’t seem at all put off by my presence, kicking off his shoes and walking over to Kushina to give her a quick kiss on the cheek. He wandered over towards the dining table and took a seat next to me, ruffling my hair by way of greeting.</p><p> </p><p>“Guess what I found out today?” Kushina had a wooden spoon in one hand while the other rested on her hip, a small smile on her face, “It turns out that Yasuko is actually Itachi’s new friend!”</p><p> </p><p>“Really?” Minato poked my shoulder, giving me a closed eye smile, “Did you know that Itachi’s father is a good friend of mine, Yasuko?”</p><p> </p><p>“I didn’t know that, Minato-sama.” I replied, and that was the truth. I couldn’t remember anything about Minato and Fugaku’s relationship in the original series. The idea that they were friends was definitely coming a little out of left field.</p><p> </p><p>Minato sniffed the air and sighed happily, “It smells great, Kushina.”</p><p> </p><p>“It won’t be long!” She replied, starting to plate up small bowls of rice.</p><p> </p><p>My stomach growled impatiently and Minato laughed at the sound. I flushed and put my hands on my stomach defensively.</p><p> </p><p>“Shhh!” I snarled at it, but that only made Minato laugh louder.</p><p>After we had (finally) eaten, Minato and Kushina had peppered me with questions that I didn’t really know how to answer. Minato’s questions were definitely more subtle than Kushina’s, but I gathered that they were trying to figure out where I had come from and how I had managed to meet and form something of a friendship with the Uchiha heir.</p><p> </p><p>“So, you met Lady Tsunade?” Kushina’s voice had a tone of wonder in it, and she rested her head on her hand, “Did she teach you anything before she brought you here?”</p><p> </p><p>“No, not really,” I confessed, my eyes flittering around the room nervously. Minato’s face was impassive, but I could still tell that her was listening intently for my reply, “I noticed that she was able to sense things with her chakra, but I don’t think she meant to teach me that. Itachi has been the one teaching me and… well, I guess Gai-sensei has been trying to teach me too when he has the time.”</p><p> </p><p>“Gai?!” Kushina’s voice was high-pitched, and she immediately reached towards me and started patting my arms up and down, “Did he hurt you at all?” She asked, her green eyes searching mine. I glanced across the table and noticed that Minato had gone a little pale.</p><p> </p><p>“No, I don’t think so!” I replied, trying to keep my voice cheerful, “Gai-sensei's training hurts sometimes, but I’ve gotten much better at taijutsu because of his hard work. I can even hit Itachi now!” I couldn’t help the note of pride that snuck into my last sentence, but Minato just smiled at me approvingly.</p><p> </p><p>“That is a pretty big achievement. Itachi… is a special child.” Minato said diplomatically, drumming his fingers on the table.</p><p> </p><p>Kushina nodded in agreement.</p><p> </p><p>There was a moment of comfortable silence before Kushina rubbed her stomach and let out a small groan. Minato was instantly kneeling by her side, his hand on the small of her back.</p><p> </p><p>“I’m okay.” She said, looking up at him contentedly, “Just some movement. He’s really wiggling tonight!”</p><p> </p><p>“I-I should go.” I murmured, making to stand up. Kushina grabbed my ankle before I had the chance.</p><p> </p><p>“No way, it’s too late for you to go walking around, you know! You’re gonna stay here, and that’s final!” Kushina’s voice boomed, and her eyes flashed in a way that made me nervously sit back down without a fight.</p><p> </p><p>Minato smiled and stepped towards me, hoisting me up off the floor and easily settling me in his arms. “I can walk you to the training grounds tomorrow, Yasuko. We have a pretty cool spare bedroom here, let me show you.”</p><p> </p><p>He headed away from the main room and lead me into a smaller bedroom that had a single window looking out over Konoha’s dark cityscape. There was a single bed in the centre of the room, but crawling plants covered the windowsill and vacant floor.</p><p> </p><p>I let out a happy sign. It reminded me of my apartment in my first life, dark street lights illuminating green plants, white bedsheets looking oh so comfortable…</p><p> </p><p>My eyelids started to shudder, and Minato tucked me under the crisp sheet with ease. His hand brushed over the top of my head and I wormed my way deeper under the covers.</p><p> </p><p>“Sleep well, Yasuko.”</p>
<hr/><p>Minato woke me up with the sun and we headed out of the house, both taking it in turns to yawn loudly as we wandered down the quiet streets. The orange rays were just starting to peek over the green forest surrounds, illuminating the cobbled streets and darkened shopfronts.</p><p> </p><p>When we finally arrived at the public training grounds, Minato put a hand on my head and gave me a small smile.</p><p> </p><p>“I’d love to stay and watch you train, but I’ve got some meetings first up this morning.” He ruffled my hair and I twisted my nose in response, “But maybe we can train together next time.”</p><p> </p><p>The thought of training with the Hokage made my heart leap into my throat, and I nodded eagerly. Minato dropped his hand from my head and turned to walk away, back to the village centre.</p><p> </p><p>My heart froze. <em>This was my chance.</em></p><p> </p><p>I stretched my hand out and grabbed Minato’s much larger wrist. He glanced down at my hand, a curious expression crossing his face.</p><p> </p><p>“Yasuko, is everything alright?”</p><p> </p><p>“I…” My voice caught in my throat and my hand started to tremble. Minato knelt in front of me, one hand grasping my face.</p><p> </p><p>“Please tell me if something is on your mind.” Minato’s voice was calm, but it felt like a command. I took a deep breath and steadied myself.</p><p> </p><p>“I… I have dreams, sometimes.” My voice came out in a rush, and I scraped my palms with my nails, “Sometimes… I see bad things happening to the village.”</p><p> </p><p>“Bad things?” Minato questioned lightly, one thumb running over my red cheek. His brows were furrowed, but I nodded quickly.</p><p> </p><p>“Yes. I see… a man. He attacks on the day Kushina has her baby. And… it’s terrible.” My bottom lip quivered and my nails dug deeper into my skin. I had tried to think of every possible outcome for this conversation, but the only idea that I kept coming back too was this one.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Dreams. Visions. I can pass it off as a strange kekkei genkai if I need too, or just blame it on the imagination of a child. But if Minato listens to me… if he’s prepared… </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Minato was silent but his blue eyes were studying me intently.</p><p> </p><p>“Please.” I was begging, my voice thin and shaky, “Please be careful on that night. I don’t want… I don’t want anyone to get hurt.”</p><p> </p><p>Minato nodded and stood, his hand coming to rest on my shoulder comfortably. He looked different, the calm persona giving way to the battle-hardened man that made other ninja flee on sight. I could feel chakra rolling off him in deep blue waves, sharp and electrifying.</p><p> </p><p>“Thank you, Yasuko.”</p><p> </p><p>He was gone in a flash, but relief flooded my body.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>He had listened to me. </em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>Minato had <span class="u">listened</span> to me.</em>
</p>
<hr/><p>That day started like most others.</p><p> </p><p>I couldn’t shake the heavy chill that pressed against my bones. Itachi noticed something was wrong with me immediately, but he didn’t push. We spent the day in the Uchiha compound, taking turns to play with Sasuke while Mikoto dropped in and out running errands. Fugaku Uchiha wasn’t around at all, and I hoped that was a good sign.</p><p> </p><p>It didn’t start until the sun fell from the sky and darkness rose in its place.</p><p> </p><p>That horrible, horrible chakra cut through the night and I screamed. Itachi stood quickly, pulling me up with one hand and cradling Sasuke with the other.</p><p> </p><p>The Nine-Tailed Fox cut a brutally large silhouette against the moon and the roar it let out shook the foundations of the Uchiha compound.</p><p> </p><p>“Yasuko.” Itachi’s voice was close to my ear, and I turned to face him, eyes wide, breath short.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>I never could have imagined anything so horrible.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>“We need to move.” Itachi’s voice was firm, and his hand gripped my wrist. Sasuke was bawling loudly, his little hands fisting the air, and I looked at him anxiously.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>If this chakra was effecting me so much, what was it doing to Sasuke? Itachi was right, we needed to move, we had to get undercover – </em>
</p><p> </p><p>While I was still processing our next move, Itachi had already started pulling me towards the border between the Uchiha compound and the main village. I followed on shaky legs, fighting the urge to slam my hands over my ears to try and cut off the Nine-Tail’s roars.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Make it stop, make it stop, make it stop….</em>
</p><p> </p><p>A loud ‘BANG’ echoed across the village, and Itachi’s head shot up, eyes flickering towards the source of the noise. There a was a sound like a deep sigh, and then roaring heat was flooding the streets and raging towards us. Itachi tried to pull me away, to jump back, but I felt his hand slip from mine as the shattered red chakra flooded towards us.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>I can’t move. I’m going to die, I’m doing to die, I’m going to die -</em>
</p><p> </p><p>Bruising hands swooped under my legs and back, hauling me out of the path of the explosion. I desperately searched for purchase, my hands scrabbling across a metal plate. Silver hair caught my vision and a red swirling eye targeted mine.</p><p> </p><p>My legs were placed on the ground.</p><p> </p><p>“GO!” Kakashi was yelling, his hand tight and sore on my wrist.</p><p> </p><p>I couldn’t move. My mind was empty, and I was choking on that deep, angry chakra. It was consuming me, stripping me out, ripping away my sanity. I was shaking, astonished at my own uselessness, entirely unable to follow Kakashi’s directions.</p><p> </p><p>I was sure that I was going to die here.</p><p> </p><p>Kakashi knelt in front of me, his hands cupping my face. “Yasuko. Breath.”</p><p>I could feel his fingers lightly brush my cheeks, his bright chakra flickering before my eyes.</p><p> </p><p>“I need you to hear me.” His voice broke through my fear, and I found myself focusing on his eyes. One grey, one spinning dangerous red. The roaring of the Nine-Tails finally seemed to dim, and that terrible chakra receded for a moment. </p><p> </p><p>“I hear you.” My voice was soft, but Kakashi caught it.</p><p> </p><p>“Go with the boy,” Kakashi said, and I knew that it was an order. His hands warmed my face for a moment longer before he withdrew them.</p><p> </p><p>I couldn’t help but mourn the loss.</p><p> </p><p>Itachi grabbed my wrist with his free hand and started tugging me away. I stumbled a little, my feet crossing over themselves as I turned to follow him. My eyes were still locked on Kakashi.</p><p> </p><p>“Be safe,” I couldn’t help but yell out at him, and I caught the desperate undertone in my weak voice.</p><p> </p><p>Kakashi’s face was impossible to read, but he raised one hand in a peace sign before he jumped into the night.</p><p> </p><p>I broke my blank stare and focused instead on Itachi’s hand. He weaved through the crowded streets, leading me away from the roaring Nine Tails, until he found his goal.</p><p> </p><p>“Father!”</p><p> </p><p>Fugaku Uchiha was standing in the middle of the street, two of the Uchiha police guard by his side. He turned his head to stare down at the two of us.</p><p> </p><p>“Hm? Itachi, I knew you’d be safe.” He said, not sparing Sasuke or I a single glance. “Get to the shelter. Your mother is already there.”</p><p> </p><p>Itachi simply nodded, taking one more moment to stare at the shadow of the Nine-Tails, before he was again dragging me further down the street.</p><p> </p><p>We eventually hit a choke point. Hundreds of Konoha civilians were trying desperately to squeeze themselves into the Uchiha’s underground bunker, with two more Uchiha police standing idly by while the citizens scrabbled, pushed and fought their way forward.</p><p> </p><p>Itachi raised his hand into the air and made a strange hand sign. One of the police jumped forward, landing neatly in front of the two of us. He looked Itachi and I over, before grunting and helping us to push through the crowd. We finally entered the shelter, and Itachi held his hand up again in that same strange symbol.</p><p> </p><p>Mikoto was there instantly, grabbing Itachi in her arms and pulling him and Sasuke to her chest. Silver tears were trickling silently down her face.</p><p> </p><p>“This way.” She managed to get out, guiding Itachi and I by the shoulders and leading us deeper into the shelter. Mikoto had managed to secure a spot with the other Uchiha woman, and Itachi and I settled down by her feet.</p><p> </p><p>Mikoto reached towards Itachi and took Sasuke from him, gently stroking her younger son’s head and kissing his cheeks lovingly. Sasuke hiccupped mournfully, his little hand reaching out to stroke his mother’s face.</p><p> </p><p>I curled into Itachi’s side, and he held me through the night, my tears wetting his shirt and leaving a dark stain on his sleeve.</p><p> </p><p>I nuzzled further into his chest and let myself go until my chest was sore and empty.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Minato. Kushina. Kakashi. Please, please, please be safe. Please let my warning be enough. Please…</em>
</p><p> </p><p>As I drifted off to sleep, my desperate prayers echoing into the night with the Nine Tail’s roaring fading into the background, I swear that I felt Itachi’s soft lips press to my forehead.</p><p> </p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Wow, this was harder than I thought it was going to be, but I'm excited to move the story forward! Thanks for being paitent, I hope this was okay! Keep safe xx.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Aftermath</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The sound of Sasuke’s soft whimpering slowly raised me out of my exhaustion-induced sleep. I could still feel Itachi’s small arms tightly wrapped around my body, pulling me close against his chest.</p><p> </p><p>I blearily opened my eyes, blinking quickly to try to wash the sleep away. My head ached and my heart was still beating brutally against my chest. All I could see was darkness, and the outlines of other prone bodies shadowed against the daylight creeping in from the shelter’s entrance.</p><p> </p><p>That horrifying chakra was gone, but there were no chirping birds or warm words to greet the morning. Only the subdued sniffling of children and the muffled sobs of those who had just lost everything.</p><p> </p><hr/><p>Mikoto eventually lead us out of the shelter, nodding quickly to the two Uchiha guards who were standing in a daze by the entrance. The streets and surrounding buildings were covered in a fine layer of dust from the explosions that had rocked the night. Most people must have been still taking cover in those buildings that remained standing, but some were standing in the ruins of their shattered homes, trying to shift the rubble to get to the bodies of their loved ones.</p><p> </p><p>I held Itachi’s hand tightly as we trailed in Mikoto’s shadow. The sun seemed all too bright for the scenes of fresh horror that greeted us as we turned down each new road. The further we went, the more broken the buildings became. Small craters littered the ground as if to mark the Nine-Tail’s claws.</p><p> </p><p>It was clear to me that a civilian who was in this part of town last night would have had no chance of surviving. Even a low-level ninja would have had trouble trying to dodge explosions of this size.</p><p> </p><p>I looked at Itachi and saw the frown on his face. His eyes were shining with unspilled tears, but he said nothing. It seemed somehow wrong to break the oppressive silence that surrounded us.</p><p> </p><p>Mikoto eventually came to a stop outside of a large, mostly white building. She hesitated for a moment at the door, glancing back at the pair of us and then looking down at Sasuke’s trembling lip. She sighed and pushed open the double doors.</p><p> </p><p>The noise hit us straight away. The groans of the injured, the terrifying rattle of those close to death and the desperate sobs of their loved ones. We all paused for a moment at the entrance adjusting to the ghastly orchestra.</p><p> </p><p>Mikoto turned on her heel and looked Itachi and I over. Her black eyes were suddenly a spinning, threatening red and I felt a faint jolt of surprise course through my body.</p><p> </p><p>“We need to find your father,” She commanded, and Itachi nodded in reply. “He’ll know what’s going on. Take Yasuko and look. If you find him, get Yasuko to use her chakra to locate me. Understood?”</p><p> </p><p>“Yes,” Itachi’s voice didn’t shake at all, and Mikoto swiftly headed down a nearby corridor, taking a whining Sasuke with her.</p><p> </p><p>Itachi started to pull me towards the opposite side of the building, taking care not to step on any of the nearby bodies. I tried my best not to look at the gaunt faces or the bloody floor.</p><p>“Do you think you could try to find my father?” Itachi asked, voice steady.</p><p> </p><p>I thought for a moment. Could I? I don’t think I’d ever paid much attention to Fugaku’s chakra. But I did know what Minato, Kushina and Kakashi’s chakra felt like.</p><p> </p><p>My lip trembled and my heart started to race<em>. I needed to find them. I need to know.</em></p><p> </p><p>“I… I can try,” I lied easily, knowing that Fugaku was most likely fine, and I started pushing my chakra out in quick pulses in search of my friends.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Kushina… she was warm, golden. Minato’s chakra was like feeling ocean waves break against the shore. Kakashi was flighty, sharp and dangerous. </em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>My eyes shuddered closed and I let Itachi lead me through the winding corridors of the Konoha Hospital. My chakra was reaching out in front of me, searching, searching….</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>A deep, dark, rolling wave. Moving slowly out towards my sharp, narrow chakra pulses and then receding heavily. </em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>My cry caught in my throat and my heart started pounding. I tugged quickly on Itachi’s hand and he saw my desperate gaze.</p><p> </p><p>“Which way?” He asked, and I pointed towards a quieter, narrower corridor to our left. We walked down the corridor together, our quick footsteps seeming so much louder in the quiet space.</p><p> </p><p>While we walked, I could feel that dark wave rolling back and forth, as if it was a small child curled in a corner of a dark room rocking to soothe itself. We were getting closer to it.</p><p> </p><p>When we turned down the final corridor, Itachi came to a quick halt and held his arm out in front of me. I started to ask him what was wrong when my own eyes finally caught what Itachi had already seen. My hand covered my mouth and I tried to muffle my cry.</p><p> </p><p>Minato was sitting on the floor, his back propped up against the wall. His hands covered his face but I could still see the dried blood marking the back of his knuckles. Fugaku was by his side, arms crossed tightly but with a slightly softer look on his face than I had ever seen before. There was another man lurking in the shadows, and while it was too dark for me to make out his face the distinctive hairstyle gave his identity away instantly. It was Shikaku Nara, holding a silence but wiggling bundle in his arms.</p><p> </p><p>Resting on the floor between Minato’s prone form and Shikaku’s feet was a white cloth draped over a human form. There was just a hint of red hair peeking out from the top of the cloth, but that was enough for me.</p><p> </p><p>My legs buckled and slipped out from underneath me. I hit the ground hard, too quick for Itachi to catch, black spots taking over my vision.</p><p> </p><p>As I sunk into blissful unconsciousness, my last thought was of the enormity of my own failure.</p><hr/><p> </p><p>Minato looked… haggard. His eyes were dull, almost entirely glazed over as he watched Naruto squirm in my arms. I gently rocked the little baby, cooing softly at him and stroking his cheek with my fingers. Naruto eventually started to settle, his eyelids flickering as he tried to fight off sleep.</p><p> </p><p>“Thank you for coming to see me, Yasuko,” Minato said finally when Naruto’s eyes had completely shut and his breathing had evened out.</p><p> </p><p>I nodded, “Of course.” I said, trying to keep my voice from shattering.</p><p> </p><p>From what I could gather, sometime after I had passed out we had moved from the Hospital into what was left of the Hokage’s office. Shikaku Nara was lurking ominously in the shadows of the office, the only other person in the room beside Minato, Naruto and me. Fugaku had taken Itachi and had left to find Mikoto and Sasuke, murmuring quiet condolences to Minato and resting a hand on his shoulder for a moment on his way out. Itachi had squeezed my hand quickly before following his father out of the room.</p><p> </p><p>When I woke, Shikaku had quickly taken the opportunity to deposit a sniffling Naruto into my arms without so much as a word of introduction.</p><p> </p><p>I didn’t protest. Somehow, holding the boy was helping to calm my guilty nausea.</p><p> </p><p>With what looked to be a superhuman effort, Minato cleared his throat and looked me in the eyes.</p><p> </p><p>“I need to ask you some questions,” He began, and my heart froze for what felt like the millionth time today. “Will you answer them honestly, Yasuko?”</p><p> </p><p>My eyes flickered over to Shikaku. The man was leaning against the wall of the office, a practiced look of disinterest on his face, but the curve of his brows betrayed him.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>This was an interrogation. A friendly one, but an interrogation none the less. </em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>I knew in my exhausted mind that I had to be careful here. Shikaku Nara was the least of my worries. If they weren’t satisfied with my answers, there was a chance that they would call Inoichi Yamanaka in and break into my mind to find what they wanted. Then, they would see everything.</p><p> </p><p>I looked back down at Naruto and took a moment to calm myself before I answered.</p><p> </p><p>“Yes,” I answered finally, keeping my eyes on Naruto, “I’ll do my best.”</p><p> </p><p>I could see Minato nod once out of the corner of my eyes.</p><p> </p><p>“You warned Minato that something bad would happen on the night of his child’s birth.” It was Shikaku Nara’s voice, and I clenched the cloth around Naruto tightly. “You told Minato that you saw this in a dream. What exactly did you see in this dream?”</p><p> </p><p>“A man,” I replied easily, remembering exactly what I had told Minato before. “A man in a mask.”</p><p> </p><p>I saw Minato’s knuckles turn white as he gripped his own legs.</p><p> </p><p>“Do you know who the masked man is?” Shikaku continued, unfazed, his voice drifting lazily across the room.</p><p> </p><p>“No.” I kept my voice small, “I’ve never seen him outside of my dreams.”</p><p> </p><p>“And do you have these dreams often?”</p><p> </p><p>“No,” I replied again, watching as Naruto shifted gently in my arms, bawling his fists under his chin. “I only have them sometimes. Before something really bad.”</p><p> </p><p>“Did your parents have similar dreams?”</p><p> </p><p>I felt relief wash over me, and I nodded quickly. “Yes.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>This was my chance. I needed to make them think that this was a kekkei genkai. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>“Okay.” There was a strange note of finality in Shikaku’s voice, and I looked over at him. He hadn’t moved at all, but he was now staring at Minato intently. “Minato, do you have anything?”</p><p> </p><p>There was a heavy silence. The soft patter of rain started against the remaining windows.</p><p> </p><p>“Would you please watch Naruto tonight, Yasuko?”</p><p> </p><p>Minato’s eyes were set firmly on his own hands. Naruto was starting to wake, and I wondered distantly whether he’d been given any milk yet.</p><p> </p><p>“Of course,” I said again, my own voice feeling like a distant echo.</p><p> </p><p>Minato was gone with a flash.</p><hr/><p> </p><p>I found myself at the Nara compound. It was surprisingly unharmed, an enclosed group of houses tucked against the edge of a large forest.</p><p> </p><p>Shikaku had led me through the compound, his hands tucked in his pockets. A woman with long, black hair who I was sure was Shikamaru’s mother met us outside one of the houses. She and Shikaku shared a few quiet words before Shikaku headed back the way we came, leaving me standing in front of the woman alone.</p><p> </p><p>Small rain droplets were tricking onto my forehead and Naruto’s little face was covered in a delicate dew despite my best efforts to keep him dry.</p><p> </p><p>The woman sighed and put an arm around my shoulders.</p><p> </p><p>“I’m Yoshino Nara. You’ll both be staying with me tonight.”</p><p> </p><p>I nodded and let her lead me inside. The house was split over two levels, living area at the entrance with a shadowy staircase leading to the next level. There was an open set of double doors looking out onto the forest entrance, but it was difficult to see through the persistent dribbling rain and fog.</p><p> </p><p>I had no idea what time it was but I had never felt more exhausted in my life. Yoshino led me into the living area and sat me down under a heated kotatsu. I folded my legs and tucked Naruto under my arm, gently rubbing his dewy face down with the edge of the blanket.</p><p> </p><p>Yoshino regarded us both for a moment, her eyes dark and a little sad.</p><p> </p><p>“Has the baby eaten?” She asked finally, and I shook my head. She sighed heavily again and walked into another room, coming back after a few minutes with a bottle in hand.</p><p> </p><p>“I’ll show you how to feed him.” She said, handing the bottle to me. I gulped nervously and looked up at her a little balefully. I’d never been great with babies, but Yoshino just returned my gaze firmly. “You’re going to need to learn this at some point anyway, so it might as well be now. Here.”</p><p> </p><p>She man-handled my arms into the correct position and showed me how to carefully trickle the milk into Naruto’s small mouth. He drank eagerly and I felt a fresh wave of guilt and shame wash over me.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>This should be Kushina’s job. She… she should be here, looking after her child, with a radiant smile on her face. And I’ve taken that away from her.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>“Good. You’ll need to burp the baby next.” Yoshino demonstrated and gave me a small towel for the baby vomit. I tried to give her a grateful smile but I could tell that it just came off pained.</p><p> </p><p>A distant cry came from deeper inside the house, and Yoshino got off her feet and headed towards the sound. She came back cradling a tiny baby that could only have been Shikamaru, his face screwed up and red.</p><p> </p><p>“He’s hungry too.” Yoshino explained, a smile threatening to edge across her face, “I’m going to go and feed him on the balcony.”</p><p> </p><p>I nodded and watched as she walked outside and disappeared from my line of vision. The sky flashed and thunder bellowed ominously in the distance.</p><p> </p><p>Everything had changed in one night. I could feel the impact of the Nine-Tails, not just in my physical surroundings, but also in my heart and mind. I had failed Kushina, and in doing that I had also failed Naruto and Minato. I didn’t know how Minato could possibly recover from the loss of his wife, but something that I had done had altered the outcome of last night enough to keep him alive.</p><p> </p><p>In doing so, I had changed the story of <em>Naruto</em> forever. All bets were off. Now, I could only rely on what I thought I knew about these people and (possibly) the various alternate realities that were explored in the <em>Infinite Tsukuyomi</em> arc. I couldn’t allow something like this to happen again. I couldn’t bear to watch my new life fall apart around me as my old had. I had to do everything I could to keep my new friends safe.</p><p> </p><p>While Naruto gurgled happily in my arms, I remembered the promise that I had made to baby Sasuke. I had to become stronger and smarter if I was going to ensure that the Uchiha massacre never took place, to stop Sasuke from leaving from the village, and to maybe even alter Obito and Madara’s plans.</p><p> </p><p>I had failed Kushina, but I would not fail her son.</p><hr/><p> </p><p>I wasn’t sure how long I had sat under the kotatsu with a sleeping Naruto in my arms, drifting between consciousness and unconsciousness, but I was eventually jolted awake by the sound of light footsteps on the balcony.</p><p> </p><p>I looked up blearily only to see a flash of grey hair cross into the living room. Kakashi’s one visible eye was ringed by dark blue circles and a fine layer of dust coated his clothes. Blood crusted the edges of his nails. He put his hands into his pockets quickly when he noticed my gaze.</p><p> </p><p>“How… how did you find me?” I croaked, hoping that he understood that I was talking about his miraculous appearance last night.</p><p> </p><p>He shrugged and sat cross-legged on the floor in front of me. “Minato told me to find you,” was the simple reply from an equally croaky voice. I wondered whether Yoshino had even heard him enter the house. There was an odd energy floating around Kakashi that I couldn’t place. He wasn’t distraught, but there was a prickly edge to his chakra and his voice that betrayed the deep exhaustion that had must have settled into his bones.</p><p> </p><p>“That the baby?” Kakashi gestured to Naruto, eye flickering across the boy.</p><p> </p><p>I nodded, “His name is Naruto.”</p><p> </p><p>“I know,” Kakashi’s voice was sharp, and I flinched instinctively. <em>Of course, he knew. Kushina and Minato had picked the name from Jiraya’s book. Kakashi probably knew the name ages ago. </em></p><p> </p><p>We sat in silence for a moment and the rain picked up again outside, splattering across the corrugated roof and filling the living room with a comforting white noise.</p><p> </p><p>“I’m going to be looking after you two for a few days,” Kakashi said finally, his eye trained determinedly on the floor, “Minato-sensei has work to do. You’ll both stay at the Nara compound tonight. I’ll take you both home in the morning.”</p><p> </p><p>“Home?” I questioned, trying to imagine what Kakashi could mean by that. Kakashi looked like the last thing he wanted to do was answer that question and I felt guilty for asking it.</p><p> </p><p>“Minato-sensei has organised an apartment for the two of you.” He said finally, taking a hand out of his pocket and scratching at the blood that had seeped into his nail bed. “You’ll be looking after Naruto until Minato-sensei’s work is done. And I’ll be making sure that the two of you…” He paused, eye flicking up to meet mine, “Stay alive.”</p><p> </p><p>“Why me?” My voice was soft, high and child-like. The prospect of looking after Naruto with a slightly belligerent Kakashi who was clearly in his version of mourning was terrifying. I also couldn’t imagine why Minato would want to leave his newly-born son alone with me, a near-complete stranger and child who had predicted but not stopped an attack on the village that had led to the death of his wife.</p><p> </p><p>Kakashi shrugged, but I felt certain that he was keeping something from me.</p><p> </p><p>“You need to ask fewer questions.” He said finally, raising himself up from the floor, “I’ll come for you tomorrow morning.”</p><p> </p><p>He was gone by the time the first rumble of thunder broke across the sky.</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>This was a sad chapter to write. I really struggled with the decision to only keep Minato alive - I love Kushina but I just couldn't think of a way to keep them both alive without massively altering Naruto's character development (believe me, I really tried!). It also didn't feel right to have Yasuko succeed on her first try at changing the story, especially since Minato didn't really have any proof that she was going to be right. I kept going back and forth between three different outcomes for this chapter, but this one was ultimately the one I kept coming back too. I'm interested in exploring how Minato's character will change now, and also the impact that will have on Kakashi too. Anyway, I was looking forward to writing the attack but I'm also pleased to move on from it. The next chapter will definitely be more light-hearted. Thank you for reading as always! Xx</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Calm Before the Storm</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Yay, new chapter!! So sorry that this took forever - work has been so crazy recently. I just want to say that I am so, so appreciative of everyone who has taken the time to leave comments and kudos. I've got a few comments that I need to reply too which I will do asap but I just want to let you all know how thankful I am!! </p><p>I hope this chapter was okay. It's a bit of a breather but the next one will resolve the first arc, so I'm looking forward to getting to it. </p><p>Thanks so much again, please keep safe! Xx</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Kakashi had collected us early which was more than enough to put me on edge. A sleepy Yoshino had waved us goodbye as the sun rose red in the morning sky, her hand covering her mouth to stifle a yawn.</p><p> </p><p>Kakashi looked as though he was now approaching a full forty-eight hours without sleep. His clothes were still covered in a thin layer of brown dust and the circles under his eyes were splotched with purple marks. Flecks of red still lingered in his cuticles.</p><p> </p><p>He didn’t say a word to me as he led me through the quiet streets. Naruto had quickly drifted off to sleep again as we walked and the only sound accompanying us was his soft breathing.</p><p> </p><p>I didn’t know what to say to break the silence. I had hardly slept last night, trying to go over the possibilities of why this was happening in my mind. It seemed absurd that Minato, sweet-sunshine bright Minato, and left his only son in the care of a young girl and his slightly deranged student who was possibly on the edge of a full-blown mental break. It got even more absurd when you considered the fact that I was an untrusted orphan girl recovered from an enemy territory with unexplained powers of precognition.</p><p> </p><p>I had concluded that being trusted with a baby at my age was probably the least remarkable thing about this entire situation. While in my world this would be a one-way ticket to getting your child removed from your care, it seemed to be a somewhat common phenomenon in Konoha. I couldn’t count the number of times Itachi had been left alone with Sasuke in his care. Fugaku had even trusted him enough to keep Sasuke safe on the night of the Nine-Tails attack. Children were just expected to grow up faster here, I guess.</p><p> </p><p>I still had no idea what Minato was thinking, and while he was understandably distant and distraught when I had seen him yesterday, I couldn’t place why Kakashi’s attitude towards me seemed to have also shifted subtlety. Something was telling me that I was no longer considered to be a harmless orphan. My position had changed – but I just didn’t know how, and it made my heart hurt to think that I had done something to cause Kakashi and Minato pain.</p><p> </p><p>Kakashi eventually started walking up the stairs of a green-clad oblong apartment building which had somehow managed to avoid the destructive fate of the neighboring buildings. There was a small balcony leading into the apartment, and Kakashi pulled a key out of his pocket to open the door quickly, ushering me inside.</p><p> </p><p>As I stepped into the living room and kitchen combo, I heard Kakashi enter behind me and shut the door. We were both enveloped by the dark room and I noticed that there was only one window covered by pale curtains near the kitchen bench. I stepped towards it but Kakashi beat me to it, crossing the room in two large strides and flinging the curtains open. Light from the morning sun splashed across the floor.</p><p> </p><p>There were a small table and chairs in the center of the room, and a little cabinet that looked like it had a few books sitting in it. There were two closed doors leading off the living area, and I assumed that they led to a bedroom and a bathroom.</p><p> </p><p>Kakashi cleared his throat and I turned to face him, Naruto still sound asleep in my arms.</p><p> </p><p>“Minato-sensei will be around later tonight,” Kakashi’s voice was sharp, and his eye flicked over Naruto’s sleeping face, “I don’t know when.”</p><p> </p><p>“That’s okay,” I responded meekly, scuffing my feet nervously against the wooden floor.</p><p> </p><p>“Did you have any things that I need to try to collect from the orphanage?” Kakashi leaned against the nearest wall, sunlight washing over his face. It somehow made him look even more exhausted.</p><p> </p><p>“No,” I replied truthfully. All my possessions were on me – my clothes, a light jacket and the shuriken set Itachi had gifted me.</p><p> </p><p>“Okay,” Kakashi pushed himself off the wall, “I’m going out, but I’ll be around.” He said briskly, heading towards the door.</p><p> </p><p>I knew that what I was about to do was possibly one the worst moves I could make right now, but not knowing where I stood with Kakashi was killing me. It wasn’t like I had been close with him – I was probably nothing more than a kid who he occasionally felt like tormenting – but I had to know.</p><p> </p><p>My hand reach out to grasp the back of his jacket and Kakashi froze. I could see his body tense like he was fighting the urge to turn around and push me off.</p><p> </p><p>I couldn’t help it. Tears flooded my eyes, and all the horrible events of the last forty-eight hours seemed to hit me all at once. This world was real, these people were real. This was my new world, my second chance, and I couldn’t escape the feeling that I had just messed it all up.</p><p> </p><p>Huge, wet tears rushed down my face and started smacking on the floor. My body was shaking and I couldn’t do anything to hold back my sobs. They were loud and ugly, even to my own ears. The desperate wailing of a child.</p><p> </p><p>“P-p-please,” I managed to choke out, gripping the back of his jacket tighter, “I-I’m so-so-sorry, I-I-I do-don’t know what is ha-happening…” I felt like I was hyperventilating, my little body shuddering under the weight of my gasping cries. “I-I-I didn’t wa-want any of th-this!”</p><p> </p><p>My head hurt. My body hurt. I just want all of this to be over.</p><p> </p><p>I became aware of the fact that Naruto was now also crying, his little fists bawled up and his face bright red, and that made my misery all the worse.</p><p> </p><p>“So-sorry!” I cried, letting go of Kakashi’s jacket and looking down into Naruto’s face. I knew that I wasn’t just apologising for waking him up, but also for what had happened to Kushina. “I-I’m so-sorry!”</p><p> </p><p>“Yasuko, come one, take a deep breath.”</p><p> </p><p>I looked up to see that Kakashi was now kneeling in front of me, his hands coming up to rest on my shoulders. For the first time since I had seen him on the night of the Nine-Tail’s attack, he didn’t seem to be looking at me with an expression of distrust.</p><p> </p><p>He gave me a little shake, and I managed to hiccup myself into a miserable silence. I could still feel the wet tracks on my face. Naruto also managed to settle, his hands curling into his blanket.</p><p> </p><p>Kakashi looked distinctly relieved that we had both stopped crying. I sniffled and felt my cheeks burn red.</p><p> </p><p>“So-sorry.” I murmured again, looking at the floor.</p><p> </p><p>Kakashi sighed and ran one of his hands through his silver hair. It came back coated in dust.</p><p> </p><p>“It’s okay,” He said he words like someone had just told him that he needed a tooth pulled, but his other hand gave my shoulder a quick, comforting rub. “There’s just…” He paused, looking over my red face. He sighed again.</p><p> </p><p>“Never mind. Minato-sensei will explain later.” He stood quickly, resting a hand on my head and patting me somewhat awkwardly. “I’m going out, but I’ll be around.” He said again, taking a step back and looking at me warily for any signs of tears. I sniffled again but managed to blink back the hot tears threatening to form at the edges of my eyes.</p><p> </p><p>“Mikoto Uchiha will be around soon to help you feed Naruto. Okay?” Kakashi waited for my nod before he disappeared through the door.</p><p> </p><p>As it shut behind him, I couldn’t help but burst into a fresh set of desperate sobs, and Naruto joined in with me. I sat down on the bare wooden floor, trying to calm the pair of us.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>What was going to happen to me?</em>
</p><hr/><p> </p><p>Mikoto’s gentle knock at the door finally broke me out of my daze. I stood up a little too quickly, feeling a dizzy as black spots danced in front of my vision.</p><p> </p><p>“Yasuko, are you okay?” Mikoto’s voice traveled lightly through the door, sounding concerned.</p><p> </p><p>“Yes, I’m coming, sorry!” I replied, taking one more moment to steady myself and shift Naruto higher up in my arms before walking over to open the door. Seeing Mikoto’s familiar face standing in the entranceway made my heart feel warm. She appeared to be loaded down with white grocery bags, a sleeping Sasuke strapped to her chest with a bandage-like apparatus. Itachi was standing behind her, his black backpack slung over his shoulder. He smiled when he caught my eyes and my heart soared knowing that I hadn’t managed to lose all my new friends.</p><p> </p><p>Mikoto leaned down to look critically at my face, running a hand over my puffy red cheeks. She frowned, pushing me back inside and letting herself and Itachi in. Once she was inside, she looked over the small apartment, her frown deepening and several thin lines appearing on her forehead.</p><p> </p><p>“Ridiculous,” She muttered finally, her dark eyes hardening, “To expect a little girl to live alone….”</p><p> </p><p>Mikoto headed into the kitchen, dumping the grocery bags on the floor. “Itachi, can you please unpack these?” She gestured to the bags, and Itachi nodded firmly, getting to work instantly.</p><p> </p><p>I felt my face heat up. “I’m sorry, Mikoto-san. I didn’t know that you were doing all of this for me.” Like a bolt of lightning, I suddenly remembered the black hair brooch I had bought with Kushina, tucked away in my pocket. I’d never found a moment to give it to Mikoto.</p><p> </p><p>I stepped towards her, still a little hesitant after the events of the last forty-eight hours, digging into my pocket and pulling out the brooch. “I got you this gift, Mikoto-san. K... Kushina-sama helped me to pick it.”</p><p> </p><p>At the sound of Kushina’s name, Mikoto let out a little shudder. She took the small brooch from my hand, a sad smile slowing forming on her face. She turned it over in her hand a few times, and Itachi peered over his shoulder to look at it.</p><p> </p><p>“Kushina…” Mikoto said the word a little dreamily, taking a moment to lose herself in her own grief. She eventually took two pieces of hair framing her face and brought them to the back of her head, securing them with the brooch. After taking a quick look at Itachi for approval, she knelt in front of me and gave me a quick kiss on the forehead.</p><p> </p><p>“This is beautiful. Thank you, Yasuko.”</p><p> </p><p>I started to tear up again, and Mikoto rubbed my back soothingly.</p><p> </p><p>“I think you need to get some sleep. Give me the baby, I’ll watch him while you take a nap.”</p><p> </p><p>“But…” I gestured at all the groceries that Itachi was mid-way through unpacking, “Can’t I help with all of this?”</p><p> </p><p>“No.” Itachi chimed in, stepping over some of the partially opened bags to poke me firmly in the forehead, “You should go to bed.”</p><p> </p><p>I rubbed my forehead in small circles where Itachi had just poked me and felt a fresh wave of dizziness wash over me. They were both right. The sleep that I had managed to get last night was fitful at best, and I’d just spent most of the morning sobbing my heart out. I knew that my nose would be red, and my eyes were itchy and sore.</p><p> </p><p>“Okay,” I said, my voice still a little hesitant. I handed Naruto over to Mikoto, and he thankfully went without any protest.</p><p> </p><p>Itachi smiled and took my hand, leading me out of the kitchen and towards the closed doors on the other side of the living area.</p><p> </p><p>“Do you know which one is your room?” He questioned, and I shook my head.</p><p> </p><p>He opened the door on the left first, which led to a small Japanese-style bathroom. He closed it and tried the second door on the right, which opened to a small (but sunny) bedroom. I realised with a little jolt of horror that there were two beds in the room – one small wooden bed and a baby’s cot.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Why… why is this happening? </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Itachi also seemed a little surprised to see the cot, taking my hand again with a concerned look on his face. He led me into the room, shut the door behind us and sat me down on the bed.</p><p> </p><p>We both sat in silence for a moment, staring at the floor.</p><p> </p><p>“Do you know what’s going on?” I asked him finally, looking at him through my long bangs.</p><p> </p><p>Itachi’s eyes flicked towards the door, and then looked back at our connected hands.</p><p> </p><p>“Not really,” He confessed, “I overheard mum arguing with dad about something last night and I think it had to do with getting you to move into this apartment. I couldn’t really hear much but I know that mum isn’t happy about it.”</p><p> </p><p>Itachi sighed and I remembered again that he was just a little boy who had also been through a very terrible couple of days. Despite that, I felt comforted just by having seen him and Mikoto. I squeezed his hand.</p><p> </p><p>“I’m so glad to see you.” I said in a little voice, feeling my cheeks heat up.</p><p> </p><p>Itachi gave me a sweet smile and a little ‘hm’ in response.</p><p> </p><p>My eyelids started to flicker and Itachi let out a chuckle that he immediately tried to muffle.</p><p> </p><p>“Go to sleep.” He whispered, standing up from the bed.</p><p> </p><p>And, like magic, I did.</p><hr/><p>I was jolted awake by two sharp knocks at the door. My eyelids felt swollen and heavy and my throat was dry. There was no longer any sunlight in the room and I could feel a chill in the air around me.</p><p> </p><p>“Yasuko?”</p><p> </p><p>The door creaked open and Kakashi’s head peered around the corner. There was a vaguely mad look in his eye.</p><p> </p><p>“I need you to wake up,” He said, walking over the edge of the bed and putting a hand on my head.</p><p> </p><p>I tried to reply, only to find that my throat was too dry to make any sound. I gurgled for a moment before Kakashi got the gist. He quickly retraced his steps, coming back a moment later with a glass of water. He handed it to me, and I managed to sit up enough to start tipping some of it into my mouth.</p><p> </p><p>“The baby is crying.” He announced as if that would explain everything. “Mikoto-san just had to leave, and now the baby is crying.”</p><p> </p><p>“O-oh.” I managed, feeling a bit lost. “Have you tried picking him up?”</p><p> </p><p>“No.”</p><p> </p><p>Kakashi and I stared at each other for a moment. He was clearly expecting me to get up and fix what he perceived as the problem, while I was again wondering how the care of a newborn infant had suddenly become my responsibility.</p><p> </p><p>I sighed and swung my legs off the bed, testing them hesitantly on the floor. One of my feet had pins-and-needles in it, and I stumbled a little when I started to walk.</p><p> </p><p>Kakashi put a firm hand on the small of my back and marched me onwards. Naruto was lying in a small crib that I didn’t remember seeing in the living room before – it must have been either brought by Mikoto or Kakashi. His little face was red and blotchy with tears.</p><p> </p><p>“S’okay,” I murmured, reaching into the cot to pick him up. He wailed mournfully.</p><p> </p><p>“Mikoto-san fed him,” Kakashi said, taking up residence in the far corner of the living room, arms crossed. He was watching Naruto warily as if waiting for the baby to explode.</p><p> </p><p>“I think babies just cry sometimes.” I supplied unhelpfully, rocking Naruto in my arms. He hiccupped but the sobs seemed to be slowing at least a little.</p><p> </p><p>“Your deductive skills are amazing,” Kakashi said drily.</p><p> </p><p>Ordinarily, that comment would have been enough to set me off, but tonight I couldn’t help the small smile that snuck over my face.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Kakashi was messing with me again, and I was so grateful. </em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>Naruto’s sobs eventually died down, and his face became sweet and still. I could hear rain start to fall on the kitchen window, a gentle patter that filled the quiet apartment. Kakashi was unreadable, half his face obscured by shadow, but his shoulders had dropped as if some of the stress that he had been holding in them had started to disappear with the sound of the rain.</p><p> </p><p>“Kakashi-sensei,” the name fell awkwardly from my mouth and I realised that I had never actually had cause to call him by name before.</p><p> </p><p>“Don’t call me sensei.” He grunted in response, and I swallowed anxiously.</p><p> </p><p>“Kakashi-san?” I tried again, trying to keep my nerves in check. I was desperately searching my mind, trying to remember whether there was some other honorific that I should be using for someone of Kakashi’s age and rank.</p><p> </p><p>“I don’t like honorifics. Just call me Kakashi.”</p><p> </p><p>“O-okay,” I summoned the courage to look at his face and found that he was staring absent-mindedly at the drops of rain hitting the kitchen window. “You can get some sleep if you want. I can watch Naruto.”</p><p> </p><p>“I can’t do that.”</p><p> </p><p>Thunder crashed across the sky as a yellow flash burst against my eyes.</p><p> </p><p>“Minato-sensei is here.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Lightning Strikes Twice</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Shattered neon light. Rain hitting a glass window. Discarded joy, a nameless terror.</p><p> </p><p>Minato’s chakra was deafening, threatening my whole body. I couldn’t move, couldn’t speak, could only bask in my own horror. The dark rocking wave that I had felt in the hospital was nothing to the violent rage that disturbed the small apartment. My eyes were fixed firmly on my own feet, my hands clutching Naruto’s cloth wrap in a desperate attempt to ground myself. I couldn’t even raise my head to look at the man whose energy was radiating like a livewire, shocking my brain into submission.</p><p> </p><p>“Sensei.” Kakashi’s voice was thin and shaky, barely audible over the sound of Minato’s rushing chakra. I was dimly aware of the fact that he was now next to me, crossing the room in an instant, his hand barely brushing the back of my head. “She… she isn’t…”</p><p> </p><p>“Kakashi, you need to leave.” There was no hesitation, no pause in Minato’s voice. It sounded so familiar, and yet there was an odd edge to it. My body shook like a leaf, and I lifted one of my hands to clutch onto Kakashi’s sleeve desperately.</p><p> </p><p>“Don’t leave me.” It was barely a whisper, but I knew that both men had heard me. Minato crossed the room with several slow, heavy footsteps to stand in front of me. He reached a single hand out and grasped my shoulder firmly.</p><p> </p><p>I didn’t know what happened next, but the tense exchange of energy between Minato and Kakashi ended when Kakashi took a staggered step back, moving towards the apartment entrance. My hand dropped uselessly from his sleeve and instinctively curled around Naruto again.</p><p> </p><p>Footsteps, the door opening – and then silence.</p><p> </p><p>Naruto and I were alone with Minato, the baby seemingly oblivious to the painful energy coming from his own father. Minato’s hand was hot against my shoulder and I still couldn’t bear to look into his eyes.</p><p> </p><p>Silence. The rain had stopped, and one moment stretched out into a thousand.</p><p> </p><p>Minato’s hand reached out towards me, his hand gently stroking Naruto’s pink cheek. Naruto curled a single hand around his forefinger in response.</p><p> </p><p>I let out a breath that I didn’t realise I had been holding in.</p><p> </p><p>“Can I hold him?”</p><p> </p><p>I looked into Minato’s eyes for the first time since I had sat before him in his office. His once clear blue eyes were now rimmed with red, a devastating emptiness staring back at me. He tried to give me a smile.</p><p> </p><p>“Of course.” I replied, and as I handed Naruto to his father for the first time I pretended that I couldn’t see the wet tears on Minato’s cheeks.</p><p> </p><p>“I don’t know how to handle this.” Minato’s voice was soft, calculated. “I had always counted on Kushina being there with me. She just knew, instinctively, what the right thing to do was. She trusted you, but I don’t know if I can.”</p><p> </p><p>My breath caught in my throat and my hands clenched the loose fabric of my pants tightly.</p><p> </p><p>“You knew enough to try and warn me, and I think you cared about Kushina. I don’t think you wanted her to die. But at the same time… you didn’t tell me everything. I know that, and if I wanted too I could have the Yamanaka come here right now and take it all from you.”</p><p> </p><p>A steely glare. My mind, torn open. Not an enticing proposition.</p><p> </p><p>“But I don’t want too. I don’t want to hurt you. I want to trust that you are doing this for a reason. I want to believe that Kushina didn’t die for nothing. I want to know that you will do everything in your power to protect my son.”</p><p> </p><p>“Minato-sensei…” My voice was shaky, but my mind was clear. “I would never hurt Naruto. All I want is for him to be safe.”</p><p> </p><p>“Good. I wasn’t sure if I was ready for the village to know that he was my son, but Shikaku has convinced me that is the best way forward.”</p><p> </p><p>The shadow of a smile crossed Minato’s face.</p><p> </p><p>“I’ll be living in the next apartment over. Naruto will stay with me when that’s possible. I will openly claim him as my own, but I will need you to watch over him when I can’t.”</p><p> </p><p>“Of course, Minato-sensei. And….”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Breathe in, breathe out. </em>
</p><p> </p><p>“I’m so… so sorry. K… Kushina. I’m… I’m so…”</p><p> </p><p>“I don’t think it was your fault. I’ve had to wrestle with that idea, but I’ve come to believe it. You… you can only see the future. It’s up to us to change it.”</p><p> </p><p><em>It’s up to us to change it. </em>Those words resonated in my bones, and I knew the truth in them instantly. Minato… was right. What I thought I knew was no longer the only reality. I had already altered the timeline irrevocably, and now it was up to everyone to work together to create a different outcome. A brighter future.</p><hr/><p>Minato was gone as quickly as he had arrived, although he had gently deposited Naruto into the small crib in my bedroom before making his departure. Our conversation, what little of it I had processed in any event, felt like a fever dream. In many ways, I didn’t feel any surer of myself or my situation than I had before we had spoken.</p><p> </p><p>Yes, I knew that Minato didn’t actively hate me, but I was on probation. Caring for Naruto was a way for me to prove my loyalty. Minato wasn’t a stupid man, and there was no doubt in my mind that he knew that there was something more to me than an unexplainable kekkei genkai.  </p><p> </p><p>“Are you okay?” Kakashi’s voice was softer than I had ever heard it before, but it wasn’t enough to stop me from jumping several feet into the air. I hadn’t even heard him come through the door.</p><p> </p><p>“You have cat feet!” I burst out, before slamming my hand across my mouth in embarrassment.</p><p> </p><p>“Cat feet?” Kakashi enquired, taking a seat next to me. With the shattered neon light reflecting from the broken (but still functional) streetlight I could just make out the outline of his mouth through his mask. The corners of his mouth looked as though they were raised in a smile.</p><p> </p><p>“Yes,” I murmured, mortified by my outburst, “You’re too quiet.”</p><p> </p><p>There was a moment of silence.</p><p> </p><p>Kakashi’s shoulders started to shake slightly, and he covered his mouth.</p><p> </p><p>My mouth dropped open. “Are you… laughing at me?”</p><p> </p><p>“I…” Kakashi’s voice faded into a snigger, “Your face…”</p><p> </p><p>“What about my face?” I replied indignantly, my hand clenching, “Stop laughing at me, Kakashi!”<br/><br/></p><p>The older boy just shook his head, his one visible eye twinkling slightly.</p><p> </p><p>My heart warmed. <em>We were okay. </em></p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>I was going to be okay.</em>
</p><hr/><p> </p><p>It was my first day of school. Again.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>I was a twenty-four-year-old woman in the body of a child who had been reincarnated in an entirely new world. How was it possible that I was so damn nervous to go to school?</em>
</p><p> </p><p>Despite all my attempts to rationalise my feelings, I couldn’t stop my hands from trembling. It had been several weeks since my confrontation with Minato, and while life had settled into a comforting rhythm I was still finding it a little difficult to adjust to my new situation.</p><p> </p><p>Minato, true to his word, had openly declared that Naruto was his son. He was naturally extremely busy dealing with the aftermath of the Nine-Tail’s attack, but I felt that he was still doing his best to be a father to Naruto. We spent most evenings together in a strange little make-shift family unit, with Minato always arriving a little too late for dinner, his eyes rimmed with red and the smile on his face just a little too forced.</p><p> </p><p>I had spent most of my days with either Yoshino Nara or Mikoto Uchiha. Both of the older women were extremely patient with me and were more than willing to take care of Naruto for a few hours so that I could spend some time training with Itachi. While I was slowly getting used to the idea that I was the primary caregiver to a child, I knew that it wouldn’t have been possible without the guidance of these two women.</p><p> </p><p>Minato had arrived at the Uchiha complex late one evening to collect Naruto and I. Mikoto had met him at the door, her arms crossed and her eyes fierce. Fugaku was reclined on a chair in the dining room, sitting across from Itachi and I. Sasuke and Naruto, both already asleep, were lying in a shared cradle in the corner of the dark room.</p><p> </p><p>“Itachi and Yasuko need to start at the Academy. Now.” Mikoto’s voice was firm. I was startled, and I looked to Itachi for confirmation, but he only returned my surprised look.</p><p> </p><p>Minato looked a little desperately towards Fugaku for support, but the other man just shrugged helplessly.</p><p> </p><p>“Mikoto, I agree that they are both more than competent to start at the Academy, but the school year isn’t starting for another few months. It would be better to wait so that they can start with students that are the same age, and-“</p><p> </p><p>“And nothing,” Mikoto poked a single finger in Minato’s chest with enough force to make the man take a step back, “Yasuko is a child. While I can’t understand your reasons, she has been doing a great job taking care of Naruto. But that can’t go on, and the sooner Yasuko and Itachi start at the Academy the better. We could be on the verge of another war with Komogakure, and they need to know how to protect themselves.”</p><p> </p><p>I felt my heart drop. <em>Kumo. The Hyuga Affair. Had tensions really started so early between the two hidden villages? It would make sense that the other villages would try to take advantage of Konoha’s weakened state after the Nine-Tails attack, but I couldn’t remember enough to determine whether or not this was a deviation from the original timeline. </em></p><p> </p><p>Itachi’s hand searched for mine and gripped it tightly. Minato caught the movement, his eyes flashing briefly with some inexplicable emotion.</p><p> </p><p>“Alright.” He agreed finally, and Mikoto took a step back with a smile.</p><p> </p><p>And that… brings us to today.</p><hr/><p> </p><p>School was just as painful as it had been in my first life. While I was marginally more interested this time around, I was surprised at how basic everything seemed in comparison to what I had already learned from training with Itachi and even from my brief time with Tsunade.</p><p> </p><p>It was clear to me that there was a sharp and somewhat brutal distinction between ‘clan kids’ and civilian recruits. Itachi (and I, by proxy) had the benefit of watching and learning from parents who had been indoctrinated into the shinobi lifestyle. Civilians, who may have never even held a kunai before, didn’t have the opportunity to prepare their children in the same way. And, while I hadn’t personally experienced the same kind of training that Itachi had, I had the benefit of watching the entire <em>Naruto </em>series. I knew the basics, how to form and mold chakra, and training with Itachi and Gai-sensei over the last few months had given me a head start on most of our peers.</p><p> </p><p>The Academy was trying to be somewhat fair by not solely catering to the clan kids to give the civilian children an opportunity to catch up on the basics. But…</p><p> </p><p>I caught Itachi’s eyes and we shared a knowing look.</p><p> </p><p><em>This was going to be boring. </em>  </p><hr/><p>After what felt like a decade, Itachi and I burst out of the dark Academy corridors and into the bright Autumn sun. There was a chill in the air, but the sheer joy I felt at having escaped that dark room and the dull lecturer made my skin burn with anticipation.</p><p> </p><p>“Let’s go train!” I burst out excitedly, automatically reaching for Itachi’s hand. Mikoto had promised to take care of Naruto today, and I knew that she wouldn’t begrudge me for spending an extra hour or two in the sun.</p><p> </p><p>Itachi took my hand and let out one of his quiet chuckles, leading me with ease towards the gate at the edge of the Academy’s grounds.</p><p> </p><p>“Can you please teach me how to increase my speed using chakra? I think I’m getting better at controlling it, but I’m nowhere near as fast as you, and no matter how hard I train my taijutsu you’ll always beat me if you move quicker, and-“</p><p> </p><p>My chatter cut off as I ran into Itachi’s back. He had stopped suddenly and was looking at the edge of the gate with nervous apprehension. I peered around his back and saw a boy standing a few meters away from us.</p><p> </p><p>He had kind eyes. Eyes that looked familiar, powerful. The slight crinkling around them gave the boy a look that seemed to signify that he was wise beyond his eyes. The calm aura that flowed from him felt similar to the one that I often felt from Itachi, but there was an inherent current of authority that seemed to flow through him. He was definitely an Uchiha, the dark hair and the dark eyes would have given that away even if I couldn’t see the small fire-fan sewn into the top right-hand side of his shirt. </p><p> </p><p>I knew him. I knew I did, I had to have seen him in my past life, and he must have been an important character. But for the life of me, I just couldn’t put a name to the face.</p><p> </p><p>“Hello.” He said simply, the edges of his mouth rising into a small smile, “It’s good to finally meet you, Yasuko-chan.”</p><p> </p><p>“Yes, it’s nice to meet you too?” I tried to stop my voice from raising quizzically, but I just couldn’t manage it.</p><p> </p><p>The boy gave Itachi a knowing look, and Itachi seemed to shrink into himself just slightly.</p><p> </p><p>“I guess Itachi never mentioned me?” The boy didn’t seem offended. The twinkling in his eyes gave away his true intentions, and Itachi was clearly getting more and more flustered by the minute.</p><p> </p><p>“I-“ Itachi started, his voice dangerously high, but the older boy just cut him off with a loud laugh. It also managed to take me by surprise – in all the time I had spent at the Uchiha compound, I had never heard an Uchiha laugh that freely. Itachi spent most of his time trying to muffle his laughter, and even the drunk Uchiha men that I had seen on the night of Sasuke’s birth were more subdued than the average man.</p><p> </p><p>“Well, I guess I’ll just have to introduce myself!” The boy held out a hand in my direction, and I took it with only a little hesitation. His fingers were calloused and his grip was warm and heavy, but not unpleasant. I could feel his chakra rise to swallow my own. It was vibrant and fierce, and I couldn’t help the shiver that ran through my body even though I was wearing my new, warm coat (a gift from Minato).</p><p> </p><p>“I’m Shisui Uchiha. I’ve been training Itachi, and he’s told me all about you.”</p><p> </p><p>My heart leaped into my throat.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Of course, how could I be so stupid? The upturned edges of his eyes, the power that thrummed through him, his close relationship with Itachi… </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Shisui closed his hand around my fingers and frowned slightly. I felt my hand tremble in his grip. The importance of our first meeting couldn’t be overstated. Shisui was an essential element in my plan to keep the Uchiha alive. I needed him to like me, to <em>trust me</em>, and most importantly I needed to keep him close.</p><p> </p><p>“You’re shaking, Yasuko. Come on, let’s get you both out of the cold.” Shisui tugged me easily alongside him and started walking quickly in the direction of the Uchiha compound. Itachi trudged a little behind us, starting with an unusual intensity at our connected hands.</p><p> </p><p>“Itachi,” I called to him, and he broke his gaze but he still had that strange look on his face. I beckoned him closer with my free hand, and he fell into step beside me. “Why didn’t you tell me about Shisui-san? We could have all trained together.” I whispered, leaning close to Itachi’s ear.</p><p> </p><p>Itachi’s cheeks flushed light pink and his eyes quickly flicked to the back of Shisui’s head to make sure that the other boy was still looking ahead. I was sure that Shisui could still hear our little whispers if he wanted too, but hopefully he would spare Itachi the embarrassment.</p><p> </p><p>“I… I liked it when it was just us.” The tips of Itachi’s ears were now slowly turning an interesting shade of fuchsia. Shisui tried to disguise an amused snort with a loud cough that made Itachi’s transformation into a bright pink mess complete.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>It was… pretty cute.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>I reached out with my free left hand and took Itachi’s right hand, gripping it tightly.</p><p> </p><p>“Well, we can keep it like that then,” I whispered, squeezing Itachi’s hand to confirm my statement.</p><p> </p><p>The boy’s bright smile was enough to melt my heart.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I'm so sorry that this chapter took forever! First major case of writer's block - I've been trying to get this done for forever! And I felt so guilty that I haven't even been able to look at your lovely comments - ahhhhhhh!!!!!! Life has also been crazy. I'm lucky enough to be in a place that is pretty safe at the moment, but part of my job has been dealing with the fallout from this crazy pandemic and it's been a bit wild. </p><p>Anyway, my self-pity aside, I hope that this chapter was okay. It was difficult for me to write, largely because I kind of see this as the end of the first stage of Yasuko's story. I think there will probably be a bit of a time skip coming up. </p><p>I hope that people are still reading this story and I'm sorry again for taking so long! I'm going to muster up the courage to start replying to comments again - sorry everyone! Stay safe xx</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Vignette One: Sunflowers</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hi guys! Oh lord, this is a long one - I'm trying something a little different. This is essentially a time-skip chapter that is covering a few of the more essential and mundane moments of Yasuko's life over the next four years. It was originally going to be a seven-segment chapter but it was getting way too long so I'm publishing the first four now and will then see what I'm going to do with the remaining three - whether it will be another segmented chapter or a full-length chapter as per usual. </p><p>I hope this is okay! I really didn't want to just skip through this period of time but not a lot happens in terms of my fic during these years and I want our main characters to grow up a little haha. I hope everyone is keeping safe - thank you so much for reading and taking the time to leave comments or kudos - I so appreciate all of your feedback! xx</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>
    <span class="u">Act One: Training</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>At the best of times, Itachi was a little bit terrifying. His speed, his undeniable skill – it never failed to make me feel inadequate.</p><p> </p><p>But now, watching him spare with Shisui made me want to curl up into a ball and give up on becoming a shinobi entirely. They were so quick that I could hardly catch their movements, landing kicks, and punches that make the air tremble. Two raging chakra signatures meeting together in good-natured fun.</p><p> </p><p>When they finally paused, both breathing heavily, I couldn’t help but express my awe.</p><p> </p><p>“You… you guys…” I took a deep breath in, shaking my head in wonder, “You’re both amazing!”</p><p> </p><p>Itachi’s face flushed pink and Shisui let out a full-belly laugh. Both boys had collapsed onto the grass, Shisui now looking relaxed. Itachi, on the other hand, was still breathless. His cheeks were pink with effort, and I could see that one of his hands was trembling.</p><p> </p><p>I settled myself onto the ground next to them, patting Itachi carefully on the back. He coughed mournfully in response, his dark eyes meeting mine.</p><p> </p><p>“I’d like to see what you can do some time, Yasuko,” Shisui said, resting his head on his hands and giving me a bright smile. “You should hear the way Itachi goes on about your improvement in taijutsu and your sensory ability, it’s really kind of-“</p><p> </p><p>“Shisui!” Itachi interrupted, reaching across quickly to smack him square in the face. This only prompted another laughing fit from Shisui, who didn’t even flinch at the hit.   </p><p> </p><p>“I’m really not that good at… well, anything to be honest.” I protested, holding my hands up defensively.</p><p> </p><p>“That’s not true.” Itachi murmured quietly, breaking eye contact with Shisui and focusing on his own hands instead. “You’ve really improved.”</p><p> </p><p>I felt my face start to flush, and I put my cold hands to my cheeks to stop them from going red. Shisui caught the motion and gave me a bright smile.</p><p> </p><p>“Itachi, why don’t you go and collect the shuriken? We should probably be getting back to the compound so that Yasuko can collect Naruto.”</p><p> </p><p>Itachi nodded and stood quickly, making his way around the training field and wrenching shuriken out of the ground. I started to stand to help him, but Shisui grabbed my arm and pulled me back down.</p><p> </p><p>I gave him a curious look, but he just shook his head.</p><p> </p><p>“I wanted a chance to talk to you, Yasuko. I hope that’s alright.”</p><p> </p><p>“Um… sure?” I offered, settling myself into a cross-legged position, “I don’t think I’m very interesting, but I’m excited to meet another one of Itachi’s friends.”</p><p> </p><p>Shisui’s smile dropped for a moment. “Yeah.” He muttered, sharp eyes flicking to the younger boy. “The thing is… well, how do I put this…” Shisui rested a hand on his chin thoughtfully, before fixing his gaze on me once more, “Itachi has always found it a little difficult to make friends. He’s very mature for his age, and he’ll be a great shinobi. More than that, I think that he’s going to be a great man. But I was still a little surprised when he started talking about you.”</p><p> </p><p>I took a deep breath, anticipating where the conversation was turning. I didn’t know a lot about Itachi’s childhood in the original <em>Naruto</em> timeline, but if he had been treated anything like Sasuke had by his peers I could see why Shisui was a little skeptical about our friendship.</p><p> </p><p>“I think Itachi will be a great man too.” I said firmly, meeting Shisui’s gaze and trying to look at least a little confident, “I didn’t have any family or friends in Konoha when I arrived, but Itachi has never looked down on me. He’s accepted me, and he’s done nothing but support me.” I looked down at my hands, blinking quickly to stop the tears that had started to form, “I can only hope that I’m as good of a friend to him as he is to me.”</p><p> </p><p>Rough hands cupped my chin and lifted my face. Shisui’s eyes were soft and peaceful, and I felt my body relax into his touch.</p><p> </p><p>“I’m really glad to hear that, Yasuko.” He smiled again, the tough pads of his fingers slowly withdrawing from my face. “I’m glad that you are Itachi’s friend.”</p><p> </p><p>“Shisui!”</p><p> </p><p>We both turned our heads to see Itachi standing a few meters away, a scandalized look on his face at having witnessed what probably looked like an intimate moment.</p><p> </p><p>I felt my face flush hot again and Shisui stood quickly, both of his hands held out in a gesture of peace.</p><p> </p><p>“Don’t worry Itachi, that wasn’t what you thought it was! Besides, I know how you feel about her, I wouldn’t even think about-“</p><p> </p><p>The rest of Shisui’s apology was lost as he was forced to dodge the volley of shuriken that Itachi had launched at his face.</p><p> </p><hr/><p>
  <em>
    <span class="u">Act Two: Dinner</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Naruto was getting bigger.</p><p> </p><p>The thought bounced around in my mind for a moment as I tried to remember the tiny baby that I had been holding in my arms not so long ago. How could he have ever been so little?</p><p> </p><p>We had spent the day much as we always did when I didn’t need to attend the Academy. The morning started with Minato dropping Naruto at my door at sunrise, an apologetic smile on his face, and latent anxiety that manifested most commonly in a subtle tremble in his right hand.</p><p> </p><p>“Sorry, Naruto. I’ll be home for dinner, promise.” He murmured, gently pushing the sleepy boy towards me. Naruto held his hands up expectantly and I lifted him easily. Golden rays of light had started to pierce the otherwise dark hallway, which made Naruto lift a still slightly pudgy hand to cover his eyes.</p><p> </p><p>Minato caught my eye. “If that’s okay with you, Yasuko?” He questioned, even though he already knew what the answer would be.</p><p> </p><p>I nodded quickly, “Of course. Mikoto-san has just taught me a new recipe, and I was thinking that I’d like to try it out tonight if you don’t mind?”</p><p> </p><p>Minato nodded his consent and held a hand up as a parting greeting, disappearing into the dawn just as quickly as he had arrived. Naruto pressed himself into my chest, letting out a loud yawn.</p><p> </p><p>“How about we get a little more sleep?” I whispered into his ear, shutting the door and heading towards my bedroom. I had never been much of a morning person, and I could only thank my lucky stars that Naruto seemed to feel the same way.</p><p> </p><p>We eventually woke up again at a more reasonable time and started to make our way to the Uchiha compound. The fresh morning air made my skin break out in goosebumps, but it didn’t seem to bother Naruto. He darted ahead of me, racing back occasionally to grab my hand to tug me along, chiding me for being too slow.</p><p> </p><p>He seemed to love spending the day with the Uchiha. The clan was generally friendly to him, which I attributed to Minato’s friendship with Fugaku. The Nara were much the same, although they had a more individualist approach to dealing with Naruto. If a member of the clan felt that they could not accept Naruto, then they were still expected to treat the boy with dignity but Shikaku did not force them to disguise their discomfort.</p><p> </p><p>Outside of these two clans, all bets were off. I had expected Minato’s presence to protect Naruto from the sharp glares and muffled whispering that had haunted him in the original timeline, but all it seemed to do was force the villagers to hide their hatred with fake smiles and false platitudes. Minato had again forbidden anyone to speak of Naruto’s status as a jinchuriki to protect his identity from other villages, but that hadn’t stopped the gossip from spreading throughout Konoha.</p><p> </p><p>Naruto wasn’t stupid. He didn’t know why people seemed to treat him differently, but he could tell that something was wrong. Being at the Uchiha compound was one of the few ways that he could escape.</p><p> </p><p>It helped that Naruto and Sasuke generally had a more congenial relationship than they had originally, but there was already a spark of rivalry stirring between them. They would both be starting at the Academy in a few weeks, and I was glad that Naruto would at least have one friend. Shikamaru Nara and Choji Akimichi had also started taking an interest in hanging out with Naruto, but I knew from my first life how hard it could be to break into a firm friendship like that.</p><p> </p><p>For my part, I would generally either help Mikoto with her various tasks around the compound or try to work in some training with Itachi. By the end of the day, Naruto and Sasuke were barely awake, collapsed on the edge of the sunny deck that circled the main house.</p><p> </p><p>I carried Naruto home on my back, the boy’s weight comforting and the soft rise and fall of his breathing matching my own. When we made it back to my apartment, the sun was beginning to set and the wooden floor had started to soak up the last of the light. I settled Naruto down into an armchair so that I could get started on dinner.</p><p> </p><p>I liked to cook. If I was going to be alone for the night, I wouldn’t normally bother making myself a full meal, but there was something calming about spending time in the kitchen. I would get lost in my thoughts, my mind sometimes feeling muddled and heavy with the weight of my two different lives. It was getting harder to tell the difference between my first life and my new one – sometimes I found myself humming songs or thinking of books that had never existed in this world. Sometimes I couldn’t remember the names of my friends or even my own family. Those details that I had once held so close to me seemed to be fading away, and I wasn’t sure how to feel about that.</p><p> </p><p>“Nee-Chan!” Naruto’s hand tugging at my skirt interrupted my train of thought, and I smiled down at him. He had a big grin on his face, his whiskers already quite pronounced against his tan skin. And, who could possibly resist those big, blue eyes?</p><p> </p><p>“What is it?” I knelt to face the little boy, returning his grin as I did so.</p><p> </p><p>“Can I try some?” Naruto pointed emphatically at the pot I had on the stove for good measure, his eyes sparkling.</p><p> </p><p>“I’m sorry, Naruto-kun, but it just isn’t ready yet.” I replied and seeing that the boy looked ready to protest I decided to cut him off, “If I let you eat it before it’s properly cooked, you might get sick. And besides, I want you and your dad to try this one together!”</p><p> </p><p>“But…” Naruto stole a quick glance at the door, his eyebrows furrowing, “Dad’s always late.” His voice dropped low, and his eyes turned to the floor.</p><p> </p><p>I wasn’t sure how to respond, so I just pulled him into a hug.</p><p> </p><p>“I’m sure your dad will come over just as soon as he can,” I murmured, rubbing Naruto’s back in small, soothing circles. “Why don’t you try to work on that puzzle that we started a few nights ago while I finish up here? I’ll come and join you when I’m all done.”</p><p> </p><p>Naruto nodded, his expression still downcast as he trudged into the living room. He was completely justified in feeling sad. Minato was always late, and even when he could take Naruto home with him for the night I got the feeling that they were never able to spend much time together. It’s not that Minato wasn’t trying, but I don’t think that he had ever imagined that he would be parenting on his own with only the support of his friends and a young girl.</p><p> </p><p>The sun had well and truly set by the time that Minato arrived for dinner. Naruto and I had managed to finish up the first puzzle and had gotten started on our second – a painter’s impression of the stone carvings of the Hokage’s faces.</p><p> </p><p>“Sorry,” He said, rubbing the back of his head a little bashfully as Naruto ran towards him, “I got a little caught up.”</p><p> </p><p>Naruto just held his hands up in response, and Minato reached down to pull the little boy into his arms. I couldn’t help the smile that spread across my face.</p><p> </p><p>“It’s okay, Minato-sama. We waited for you,” I pointed to the food that I had already set on the table, covered with other plates to keep the heat in, “I’m not sure how warm the food still is, but hopefully it will taste okay.”</p><p> </p><p>“I’m sure it will, Yasuko. Thank you.” Minato made his way over to the table, setting Naruto on his lap and starting to dish out the food. He paused for a moment, and gave me a look that made my heart tighten.</p><p> </p><p>“Is everything okay, Minato-sama?” I asked cautiously, my hands clenching around the edge of my skirt.</p><p> </p><p>“It’s…” Minato looked like he was struggling to find the right words, and Naruto was now also looking at him curiously. “I… I have something for you.” He reached into his pocket and withdrew a small item, keeping it hidden in his clenched hand. “A present.” He settled on finally, holding his hand out towards me. “For taking such good care of Naruto.”</p><p> </p><p>“Oh,” was all I could think to say as Minato’s fingers slowly unfurled to reveal a small circular brooch inset with a sharp three-pronged spiral. Naruto reached a hand out towards it, stroking it softly with a single finger.</p><p> </p><p>“It’s the closest thing my family has to a symbol,” Minato cleared his throat, the latent tremble in his hand starting to reappear. “I would like you to have it.”</p><p> </p><p>“I…” My mind was racing. My first instinct was to refuse the gift, to protest and to claim that I really hadn’t done all that much and that Naruto would have been just fine without me. But something made me pause. Remembering how Minato had first looked at me after Kushina’s death, remembering the pain and distrust that he had regarded me with.</p><p> </p><p>And now… that same man wanted to offer me protection, a place in his family.</p><p> </p><p>My hand reached out and took the brooch, pinning it carefully to my white shirt. I looked at Minato for approval, and he gave me a single nod as a soft smile graced his face.</p><p> </p><p>“Thank you, Minato-sama.”</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span class="u">Act Three: Dawn</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Itachi and I sprawled out on the grass, still damp from the morning dew. The rushing water was a soothing white noise, and I found myself slowing my breath and trying to syncopate with the trickling stream.</p><p> </p><p>“It’s nice, isn’t it?” Itachi murmured, trying valiantly to flick his sweaty bangs out of his eyes.</p><p> </p><p>I laughed at his desperate attempt to tidy his hair and decided to put him out of his misery. His dark eyes watched my hands intently as I ran my hands through his bangs, parting them and pushing them off his forehead.</p><p> </p><p>“It’s lovely. Thank you for bringing me here and sharing your secret base with me, Itachi.” I replied, feeling a satisfied smile creep over my face as I admired my handy work.</p><p> </p><p>A pink flush made its way across Itachi’s cheeks.</p><p> </p><p>“I wanted to tell you something,” he said finally, his eyes flicking to the ground, “I don’t really know how to do it, but I thought that if we were here together it might be easier.”</p><p> </p><p>His words made me nervous, and I shifted my weight anxiously. “You can tell me anything, Itachi,” I replied, reaching for his hands and gripping them tightly. Itachi’s dark eyes flicked across my face for a moment.</p><p> </p><p>“I’ve been told that I’m graduating from the Academy soon. They’re going to assign me to a genin team.”</p><p> </p><p>“Oh,” I murmured, my grip softening, and my mind beginning to race.</p><p> </p><p>I had failed. I hadn’t been good enough to graduate early, to secure a place on Itachi’s team. I wouldn’t be there when his team was attacked by Obito and his Sharingan was awakened. I wouldn’t be able to help him. Instead, I would be trailing in his shadow.</p><p> </p><p>“Yasuko?” Itachi’s soft voice broke my train of thought, and I jolted slightly. He was looking at me with a sad expression, his eyes overcast and chilly. “I’m sorry,” he whispered as he let my hands fall free.</p><p> </p><p>“I…” I was floundering, trying to clear my mind, “You… you don’t have anything to be sorry about, Itachi.” I took his hands again, feeling his warm palms against my cold skin, “I’m happy for you.” The words sounded false to my own ears, but I tried to put a smile on anyway.</p><p> </p><p>Itachi’s expression didn’t falter. Instead, his body curled and he let my hands go, gripping his own knees close to his chest.  </p><p> </p><p>“Life… death… life… death…” Itachi’s voice was slow and soft, his hand tightening and his knuckles going white.</p><p> </p><p>A memory flashed into my mind. <em>Young Itachi, exposed to the devastation of war, leaping off the edge of a cliff that looked all too similar to the one that Shisui would later use to take his own life. </em></p><p> </p><p>“Sometimes I wonder… what the point is?” His voice was so quiet now that I wasn’t even sure if I was meant to be hearing him. “Why… must I be a shinobi? Why do we need to live and fight in this world if all it does is separate us?”</p><p> </p><p>My body was on autopilot. I reached towards him, desperately trying to pull him close to me. He complied, coming easily my left hand crossed his back and my right hand pressed his head to my heart.</p><p> </p><p>“Itachi… you are so precious.” My voice was shattered, but I tried to keep my wet tears from falling onto the top of Itachi’s head. “Fugaku-san and Mikoto-san love you. Sasuke adores you, Shisui-san would trust you with his life. And I… I need you.”</p><p> </p><p>Itachi’s hands clasped the back of my jacket, but I could feel them shake against me.</p><p> </p><p>“You’re my friend. And… maybe it’s selfish, but I don’t think I can do this without you. Maybe that’s the point. Maybe we all just need to survive for those around us. For those… those people who are precious to us.” I felt my body shudder, “I’m sorry. I’m… I’m just sad that I wasn’t good enough to be there for you. But…” I paused, thinking carefully, “But… I will always be here for you to come home too.”</p><p> </p><p>My voice faded away, carried by the rushing water flowing fast below. Itachi’s body shook in my arms, and I pulled him closer, closer – trying desperately to take his sadness, his emptiness away from him and into me. His hands gripped the fabric of my jacket tighter, and I dreaded the day when he would return home with those crimson spinning eyes.  </p><hr/><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span class="u">Act Four: Yellow Dress</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>“Hey.”</p><p> </p><p>The raspy male voice shook my out of my light daze, and the book on common sealing techniques that I had been pretending to read fell discarded to the floor. I stood up a little too quickly, my hands desperately trying to smooth out the wrinkles in my bright yellow sundress.</p><p> </p><p>“Kakashi! What are you doing here?”</p><p> </p><p>The silver-haired man was crouched innocuously on my windowsill, his feet placed carefully enough to avoid knocking any of my plants into the air below.</p><p> </p><p>“You know, you’ll die if you just eat re-heated leftovers. You need to eat some fruit.” Kakashi’s voice was friendly, casual. As if he hadn’t just materialized on my window, made me jump three feet in the air and offered me unsolicited advice on my diet.</p><p> </p><p>“You’re one to talk.” I murmured, repositioning myself in my sun-lit chair. “I’m convinced that you survive solely on a diet of spite and regret. At least I eat proper meals when Minato-sama and Naruto come around.”</p><p> </p><p>Kakashi chose to ignore my snide comment, pointedly staring at my little patch of sunflowers instead. “Taking up gardening in your abundant spare time?”</p><p> </p><p>“Yes. I was actually going to bring some over to you, but since you seem determined to keep scaring me with your terrifying cat-feet I’m rethinking that proposition.”</p><p> </p><p>Kakashi let out a single snort in response, hopping down into my living room gracefully and sitting down in a comfortable heap on the sunny wooden floor.</p><p> </p><p>“Is Naruto out for the day?”</p><p> </p><p>“Mmm-hmm.” I confirmed, trying to keep my cheeks from flushing red. I had never really gotten over the crush that I had on Kakashi in my first life, and there was just something about seeing him be so comfortable (well… as comfortable as Kakashi would ever be) in my apartment that made my heart warm.</p><p> </p><p>Rationally, I knew that there was no way he would ever feel the same about me. As far as he was concerned I was still the same kid that had once stood with him in the rain begging him not to leave her again, but I was grateful that he was at least somewhat relaxed around me.</p><p> </p><p>“Are you still training with the Uchiha?” Kakashi’s voice was practiced, calm, but his eye had caught the dark bruises on my legs. The slight furrow in his brow left me feeling confused.</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah. It’s a little intimidating at times but I think it’s good for me.” I admitted, rubbing my legs absent-mindedly. “Itachi is good at everything he tries. I… I don’t think I’ll ever be that good, but I think I’ve found something that I want to try and specialise in.”</p><p> </p><p>“Specialise?” Kakashi's voice had a mocking lilt to it, but I knew that he was being (mostly) playful. He rolled onto his knees in one smooth motion and reached up to poke my forehead. “You’re barely old enough to be a genin. Why would you need to ‘specialise’ in something?”</p><p> </p><p>I rolled my eyes and gently pushed his hand away from my forehead. “Because there’s no way that I’m ever going to be someone like you or Itachi. I’m never going to be…” my voice faded off, and I found myself losing confidence as I considered Kakashi’s disapproving dark grey eye.</p><p> </p><p>I cleared my throat and looked out the window. Safer.</p><p> </p><p>“I’m not a genius,” I settled on finally, gripping the edge of my dress tightly, “I’m better than most of the kids my age, but they’ll catch up to me soon. If I can’t compete with them, then I need to be different. I need to find my strength and work on it until they can’t compete with me.”</p><p> </p><p>Silence. I kept my eyes fixed firmly on my potted plants, diligently avoiding even catching a glimpse of Kakashi.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>If I can just avoid looking at him, then I should be able to at least keep up the masquerade that I’m even vaguely confident in what I just said… </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Kakashi quickly spoiled my plans by planting himself in my line of sight without so much as a rustle. I let out a surprised squeak when he leaned forward and grabbed my hand, pulling it away from my dress with a gentle force.</p><p> </p><p>“You’ll ruin it.” He offered by way of explanation, keeping my wrist in his grip, “You shouldn’t pull on the fabric like that.”</p><p> </p><p>“Okay.” I murmured, trying desperately to figure out what was going on.</p><p> </p><p>We froze at that moment and it felt like it stretched out into eternity. Kakashi eventually sighed and set my hand back down in my lap. “So, what’s your strength?”</p><p> </p><p>“Um…” I muttered, pretending to be very interested in my nails, “I think… well, I know I’m a strong sensory-type, but I… I know I’m more than that. It’s like I can feel people’s emotions through their chakra. Maybe, in time, I can turn that into something that makes me a useful asset to my team. But right now, I need to learn how to defend myself.”</p><p> </p><p>I stole a glance at Kakashi. He was regarding me intently, but he didn’t interrupt.</p><p> </p><p>I swallowed and resolved to keep talking. “Lady Tsunade is the strongest kunoichi alive. If I could pack a punch even half as hard as she does, and combine that with speed and my sensory abilities… well, I think I might be a half-decent shinobi then.”</p><p> </p><p>Another silence. I was half tempted to start fiddling with my dress again.</p><p> </p><p>“Lady Tsunade has another technique that would be useful for you.” Kakashi’s voice was quiet, and I looked up at him in surprise. He’d never really offered me any advice or encouragement before. He looked a little conflicted about offering this information up to me now.</p><p> </p><p>“She… stores her chakra. You… should practice that.” The words were grudgingly pulled from Kakashi’s throat.</p><p> </p><p>Despite the distinct lack of useful information as to how Lady Tsunade stored her chakra, I realised with a jolt that he was completely right. A natural remedy to the issue of my small chakra reserves. If I started building up my chakra now, I’d be able to go all out when I really needed too.</p><p> </p><p>I couldn’t help myself. I stood up quickly and wrapped my arms around Kakashi’s midsection, pulling him close. He accepted the hug with the degree of awkwardness that I had come to expect from him, keeping his arms by his side but gently patting my arm instead.</p><p> </p><p>“Thank you, Kakashi-sensei!”</p><p> </p><p>“Don’t call me that. Ever.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Vignette Two: Super Dark Times</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hello to anyone still reading! Sorry that this took forever. I hope it's okay. </p><p>Just wanted to give a TW for some blood/violence in this chapter. Nothing too intense but just wanted to give you a heads up. This is the last vignette-style chapter that I promised some time ago. I know that people have asked for character ages e.c.t. I'll make an edit and post them shortly.</p><p>I really hope that you are all staying safe and sane xx</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em> <span class="u">Act Five: Violent Delights</span> </em>
</p><p> </p><p>I hadn’t thought of Orochimaru in months.</p><p> </p><p>I had been stupid. I had become too comfortable in my new life, and I had been quick to forget the feeling of his fevered yellow eyes dancing over my body while I tried to sleep.</p><p> </p><p>In retrospect, it must have been his violent chakra signature that had woken me. At the time, all I knew was that I was unsettled. I had swung my legs out from under my warm blanket into the chilly night air and had blearily made my way into the kitchen.</p><p> </p><p>Only to see those sick yellow eyes glistening in the moonlight. Blood dripped down from the corner of his ripped mouth, quick to be lapped away by his unnaturally long tongue. His skin was almost blinding in the cool light, hypnotic against his dark unruly hair.</p><p> </p><p>“I never had the chance to introduce myself,” He said, voice dark. I stepped back instinctively, and the look he gave me in response was disdainful. “Running won’t work, girl.”</p><p> </p><p>I knew he was right.</p><p> </p><p>“What would you have me do instead?” I questioned, gripping my nightdress tightly.</p><p> </p><p>Orochimaru considered me for a moment, his head drifting to the side slightly. The new angle let me see a dark bruise forming over his right cheek.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>There wouldn’t be many people in the village who could hurt him.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>Maybe… Minato?</em>
</p><p> </p><p>“In better circumstances, I would have you come with me,” his lips curled upwards, “but now time seems to be against me.”</p><p> </p><p>“Why would you want me?” My lips felt heavy and numb, but I forced myself to ask the question. If he wasn’t going to force me to go with him now, then this might be my only chance to find out more about his plans.</p><p> </p><p>His upper lip twitched into a snarl for a moment, and I had to force myself to stay standing.</p><p> </p><p>“A stupid question, one that you already know the answer too – or should.” His head twitched again, his yellow eyes torn away from mine to stare out the window. I could see his body tense, and suddenly he was right in front of me.</p><p> </p><p>I barely held in my gasp, my eyes widening as his mouth drew closer to my neck, his teeth unsheathing to reveal two pointed fangs. They plunged into my neck with brutal efficiency, and this time I couldn’t hold back the scream.</p><p> </p><p>It was over just as quickly as it had begun, and Orochimaru drew away with two small rivulets of blood trickling down his lips and a twisted grin forming on his face. A terrible heat had started to spread across my neck – surely, this pain could only mean that my skin was melting? I fell to the floor, my body trembling and my own screams echoing in my ears.</p><p> </p><p>As I lay, prone on the wooden floor, I was distantly aware of a loud bang, clattering footsteps, and aggressive male voices.</p><p> </p><p>But the last thing my conscious mind managed to hold on to was the spine-chilling sound of Orochimaru’s voice against my ear.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“I’ll see you soon.”</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><hr/><p>
  <em> <span class="u">Act Six: The Graduate</span> </em>
</p><p> </p><p>“It’s a cursed seal.”</p><p> </p><p>Minato’s hands moved faster than I would have ever thought possible, too fast for me to catch even a single hand sign. He gave me a quick smile to reassure me before he brought his left hand down against my neck.</p><p> </p><p>The burning started almost instantly. I inhaled sharply, my hand reaching out instinctively in search of comfort. To my surprise, Kakashi took my searching hand quickly, his visible eye staring at me with sympathy.</p><p> </p><p>“I’m sorry, Yasuko. I need to draw the seal out so I can review the formula.”</p><p> </p><p>I just nodded with clenched teeth, squeezing Kakashi’s fingers tightly. I could feel it, like a pool of evil in the pit of my stomach. It moved reluctantly to comply with Minato’s cooling chakra, rolling out of my neck in hot waves and branching across my face and upper body.</p><p> </p><p>Minato’s brow was furrowed in concentration. He turned to one of the medical assistants, his blue eyes sharp and communicating something unspoken to the pale man. The man in question was frantically copying the thin spiral patterns that were spreading across my body, but he had another set of drawings already open on his lap, drawings that looked almost familiar…</p><p> </p><p>My stomach dropped and I slapped a hand to my face. Minato caught it, lifting his hand from my neck for a moment. His eyes met mine and I could tell that he had noticed my horror.</p><p> </p><p>“Out.” Minato’s voice was quiet, but his power was undeniable. The medical assistants scattered almost instantly, trailing out the door in a flustered mass. Kakashi was a harder sell, his eye narrowing at Minato in distrust.</p><p> </p><p>“Are you going to hurt her again?” Kakashi’s voice was blunt, and I looked up at him in shock. “Because if you are, I’m not going.”</p><p> </p><p>Minato held Kakashi’s gaze for a moment.</p><p> </p><p>“No, I’m not going to hurt her. I need to speak to her.”</p><p> </p><p>Kakashi nodded, slowly releasing my hand. He caught my gaze as he started to walk away, and I tried to give him a reassuring smile.</p><p> </p><p>When the door finally closed behind him, Minato turned his attention back to me. The dark rings lining his eyes were worse than I had seen them in months.</p><p> </p><p>“Yasuko, are you okay?” Minato’s voice was soft, and one of his hands rested gently on my shoulder, “Naruto has been very worried about you.”</p><p> </p><p>“I’m okay… I think,” I replied, breaking his gaze and staring down at my hands. I couldn’t remember much about the last twenty-four hours. I hadn’t been told much about what had happened to me either. From the little information that I had been able to beg out of Kakashi, I had managed to gather that the Third Hokage had been trying to capture Orochimaru, but Orochimaru had managed to evade him. That was when Minato, Kakashi, and a squad of ANBU had gotten involved to try and hunt Orochimaru down – and that had been what had led them to me.</p><p>“I’m glad.” Minato gave me a small, sad smile, “I’m going to try and explain what has happened to you. You might not understand everything that I’m going to try to tell you right now, but I want you to be aware of what this mark is so that you can help me control it.”</p><p> </p><p>I nodded quickly, my neck burning slightly with the slight stretch. To be honest, I was kicking myself for not paying more attention to Sasuke’s cursed seal in the <em>Naruto </em>series. It had never really been something that had interested me, so I had just taken it for granted. I hadn’t even had the chance to look at the seal that wat on my neck, but if it was anything like Sasuke’s… then wasn’t there some risk that it could overpower me if I used it, even inadvertently?</p><p> </p><p>“Have your academy instructors ever taught you about fūinjutsu?” Minato asked, letting out a little snort of dismay when I indicated that they hadn’t. “I’ll have to change that. Anyway, there isn’t really an easy way to sum it up, but for this purpose, I’ll just say that it’s a type of jutsu that can be used to seal objects, living beings, chakra, and a wide variety of other things within another object.” He paused to make sure that I was still paying attention before continuing, “Fūinjutsu can also be used to restrict movement or to unseal an object from within someone or something. When used properly, fūinjutsu are incredibly powerful.”</p><p> </p><p>A dark look raced across Minato’s face, and he turned away from me to stare out the window. “Kushina was originally from Uzushiogakure, a village in the Land of Whirlpools. The shinobi from that village were specialists in the art of fūinjutsu.”</p><p> </p><p>“And now they’re all gone,” I finished for him, staring at my knees. That was a fact from <em>Naruto </em>that had always stayed with me. An entire village destroyed out of fear.</p><p> </p><p>“Yes.” Minato sighed and reached out to take both of my hands in his own, “It has become apparent that Orochimaru was using fūinjutsu to experiment on his own students.” There was a bitterness in Minato’s voice like he was blaming himself for not picking up on Orochimaru’s true nature sooner.</p><p> </p><p>Guilt started to blossom in my own stomach as I realised, again, that I had failed. I could have tried to intervene, to draw Minato’s attention to Orochimaru’s experiments, but I hadn’t even thought to do that. It hadn’t even crossed my mind that he would still be here, in the village, but of course, he was. How much damage had he done? Damage that I could have prevented?</p><p> </p><p>“There is one other student with a similar seal to the one that Orochimaru appears to have given you. The seals are different, but appear to operate on the same central premise.”</p><p> </p><p>Minato gripped my hands as if to try and hold me steady, but all I could feel was the burning shame of my own uselessness.</p><p> </p><p>“It seems that Orochimaru has sealed a portion of his own chakra into you. I’ll need to draw the seal out further before I can determine the exact purpose and use of the seal, but for now, I can stabilise and seal it temporarily.”</p><p> </p><p>“How… how will you do that?” I tried to keep my voice steady, but I knew that Minato could feel my hands tremble.</p><p> </p><p>“I’ll be using a technique called ‘Evil Sealing Method’. I won’t lie to you, Yasuko.” Minato’s brow furrowed, “It’s a painful process and it will take some time. It will effectively suppress the seal, provided that you are able to refrain from calling on it.”</p><p> </p><p>“I- I can do that. I think.” I withdrew my hands from Minato’s grasp and tried to give him a shaky thumbs-up.</p><p> </p><p>He gave me a genuine smile in response, the corners of his eyes creasing slightly. “Alright. The sooner we get started the better.” Minato stood and looked towards the door, his white coat trailing behind him. “Kakashi, stop lurking and come inside. Yasuko will need you.”</p><p> </p><p>The door opened to reveal a rather sheepish looking Kakashi, who trudged inside and stood beside Minato. I smiled up at him and held my hand out. He took it after a moment’s hesitation, and I shakily raised myself to my feet.</p><p> </p><p>As Minato started to lead the two of us deeper into the Konoha Hospital, I leaned into Kakashi’s side and started to whisper to him conspiratorially</p><p> </p><p>“Minato-sensei said that he can seal whatever this thing is on my neck, but apparently it’s really going to hurt.” I murmured, trying to keep my voice steady. I felt Kakashi’s grip tighten slightly on my hand.</p><p> </p><p>“It will.” <em>Well, that was reassuring.</em> “You should think about something else instead, something that will keep your mind focused, like…” Kakashi was silent for a moment as Minato took a sharp turn to take our little group down a dark set of stairs.</p><p> </p><p>“Like what?” I whispered, my eyes slowly adjusting to the darkness. I didn’t even know that hospitals could look like this. The air was musty, and there was an uncomfortable chill in the air. It was making me shiver.</p><p> </p><p>“Like the fact that you made genin.” Kakashi’s voice was soft, and his eye was trained firmly on the back of Minato’s head. “I’m not supposed to know, but I saw the missive on sensei’s desk. You’ve been selected for early graduation.”</p><p> </p><p>“I… wha…. why?” I settled on finally, trying and failing to keep my voice down. Kakashi hissed at me to keep quiet under his breath, but Minato didn’t seem to notice.</p><p> </p><p>Kakashi let out a small sigh of relief, giving my hand a single squeeze. “Probably because you’re good, Yasuko. You’re way better than you realise, and you should stop taking that for granted.”</p><p> </p><p>I stared up at him curiously. “You’re being too nice to me. You’re being way to nice to me, and that can only mean one thing. This is really going to hurt, isn’t it?”</p><p> </p><p>Kakashi let out a snort but didn’t bother to reply.</p><p> </p><p>It was my turn to let out a deep sigh when Minato finally came to a stop inside an ominous-looking chamber. There were columns covered in dark symbols surrounding a small pit which featured some (rather gross looking) stains.</p><p> </p><p>I pointed at the pit. “I guess I’m going in there?” I asked, resigned to my fate to end up as a slightly newer stain on the concrete floor.</p><p> </p><p>Minato gave me a single, firm nod in response. I stepped forward and settled myself in the pit, my clammy skin feeling slightly soothed by the cool concrete. When Minato drew a kunai out of the holster on his hip, all my short-lived comfort quickly vanished.</p><p> </p><p>“Um, Minato-sensei, I’m not sure-“</p><p> </p><p>“It’s not for you.” Kakashi interrupted my babble as he knelt beside me, taking my hands once more. He was right, of course. Minato made a small cut in his own hand, and started to retrace some of the dark figures carved into the surrounding columns using his own blood. Although the cut didn’t seem to bother him at all, I could help but shudder as I watched the blood drip down his arms.</p><p> </p><p>We sat in silence as Minato worked, drawing layer after layer of overlapping symbols in a spiral pattern that surrounded the pit. Kakashi was gracious enough to let me tuck my hands inside his flack jacket to keep them warm. My knees were already cramping, and my head felt hot and heavy.</p><p> </p><p>Minato finally looked at me, his blue eyes serious. “I’m about to start, Yasuko. It’s going to take a while, and you might lose consciousness when it’s over. Hold onto Kakashi. That will remind you where you are when the pain becomes too severe.”</p><p> </p><p>Kakashi nodded once, his hand gripping my wrist tightly. I cleared my throat.</p><p> </p><p>“Thank you, Minato-sensei. For helping me.” I took a deep breath and gave them both a firm nod. “I’m ready.”</p><p> </p><p>“Okay.” Minato raised his still-bleeding hand, and I watched in awe as he surrounded it with a green-pulsating chakra that flowed like Tsunade’s had. He slowly placed it over the mark, and my neck burned, burned, BURNED-</p><p> </p><p>I howled as it traveled down my body, hot and terrible, my mind growing dark and losing itself entirely in the sensation of burning alive. Minato had been right, Kakashi’s grip on my wrist was the only thing that served as a reminder that I still existed, that I had somehow not been entirely consumed by this pain, but god, oh god, it hurt, it hurt so much –</p><p> </p><p>As I found myself drifting down into unconsciousness yet again, I felt Kakashi’s arms wrap around me and pull me safely, securely, into his chest.</p><hr/><p> </p><p>
  <em> <span class="u">Act Seven: Song</span> </em>
</p><p> </p><p>I’d been in the hospital for too long. Sure, I’d had plenty of visitors and I was making a good recovery, but I’d had too much time. Way too much time. My brain felt like it was running a marathon, constantly jumping from one problem to another, examining and re-examining my failures, my impact, my successes, and weighing them against one another.</p><p> </p><p>It was exhausting. I was exhausted. And I needed to get out of here before I drove myself crazy. I had considered making Itachi my accomplice, but I knew that I couldn’t bother him with something so trivial. He’d been generous with his time, trying to come and see me whenever possible, but his new team was quickly eating up the little free time he had.</p><p> </p><p>Shisui had also been an option, but he was hardly reliable. The boy had a way of literally fading into nothing. Given a few years, Naruto would have been the perfect option, but I didn’t need to add teaching him how to pull pranks to my already troubled conscious.</p><p> </p><p>As it turned out, I really didn’t even need to worry about getting help to pull off my grand escape. It’s… surprisingly easy to escape a hospital. I guess that’s why Kakashi was always walking around the village with minor stab wounds and a trail of angry medic-nin in his wake.</p><p> </p><p>When I made it out onto the darkening streets, wrapping my recovered jacket tightly around myself to hide my thin, white medical gown (which, thankfully, didn’t have a slit in the back), my thoughts started to drift back to my treasonous mind’s favourite topic – my ‘mission’, which I had so far managed to fail spectacularly.</p><p> </p><p>I’d gotten too comfortable. I’d been distracted, wrapped up in raising Naruto, in developing my friendship with Itachi. I’d forgotten that everything was already in motion, and I needed to act fast if I wanted to prevent the worst of <em>Naruto</em> from occurring.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Danzo. ROOT. Orochimaru. Pain. Obito. They’re all out there, plotting, working to bring about terrible things. The Uchiha Massacre was only ever one piece of the puzzle. I needed… I needed… oh god, how was I meant to know what I needed?</em>
</p><p> </p><p>I found myself at my usual training ground as the sun finally dipped behind dark clouds, the fiery sunset giving way to gloomy darkness. I could feel my breathing speed up, and I clutched at my chest.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>I need to get stronger, I need to train, I can’t be weak, I have to train, I have too – </em>
</p><hr/><p> </p><p>My hands hurt. My face hurt.</p><p> </p><p>I was vaguely aware that I was crying, my body shaking with pain and cold.</p><p> </p><p>“Yasuko?”</p><p> </p><p>I looked up, my eyes blurry with tears. It was Kakashi, and… maybe Might Guy?</p><p> </p><p>I covered my face with my hands, embarrassment, and surprise shocking me into silence. I’d never wanted to be swallowed up by the ground so badly. I could distantly hear Kakashi saying something to Guy, and then footsteps heading in my direction. I screwed my eyes up tighter, hoping against hope that they weren’t both really there, that they hadn’t seen my complete breakdown -</p><p> </p><p>Arms wrapped around me, pulling me close.</p><p> </p><p>“Yasuko, just take a deep breath for me.”</p><p> </p><p>I’d never paid much attention to how deep Kakashi’s voice was. It broke through my hysteria, and I found myself taking a deep, hiccupping breath.</p><p> </p><p>“That was good. Let’s do another.”</p><p> </p><p>I felt his chest rise and fall and I let my own breath fall into his rhythm.</p><p> </p><p>Kakashi’s arms tightened around me and I burrowed deeper into his jacket to try and stop my body from shaking.</p><p> </p><p>“Thank you, Kakashi,” I mumbled, gratefully basking in his body heat, “This feels so much better.”</p><p> </p><p>“You really shouldn’t be pushing yourself so hard.” He replied, his tone mild. I just sighed contentedly and let him lift me off the ground.</p><p> </p><p>“Mmm,” I let out a non-committal sigh and pushed deeper into his chest. In the back of my dazed mind, I sent out a quick prayer to all available gods that Kakashi had not been informed about my getaway.</p><p> </p><p>“And you escaped from the hospital.”</p><p> </p><p>“Well, I guess that proves it,” I murmured into his shirt, “There isn’t a god. At least not one that listens to me.”</p><p> </p><p>Kakashi was the one to sigh this time as one of his hands gently stroked the back of my hair. I felt the world sway slightly beneath us and I gripped the fabric of his jacket tightly in my hands until it settled down.</p><p> </p><p>“Okay?” Kakashi’s voice was soft, and the weight of his body was the only thing keeping me from floating away into the blissful darkness.</p><p> </p><p>I found it within me to nod slowly, and he quickly scooped me into his arms. I hiccupped morosely when he did so, my eyes catching his one dark eye. He didn’t look angry, just…</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Worried?</em>
</p><p> </p><p>“Close your eyes,” He instructed, and I did so immediately. “I’m going to take you home, okay?”</p><p> </p><p>“Yes. Please.” My head was already spinning again, and I pressed my face back into his chest. “Please.”</p><p> </p><p>“It’s okay.” Kakashi murmured again, but I felt his pace start to pick up, his soft footsteps ringing in my ears as we traveled down the quiet streets.</p><p> </p><p>I felt myself fading in and out, my mind both retreating into itself and fighting valiantly to stay present, to stay connected to the man who was so kindly carrying me home.</p><p> </p><p>“Key?” Kakashi’s voice brought me back, and I realised that he had stopped. I forced my right eye open.</p><p> </p><p>“Jacket. In pocket.” I croaked, moving my right arm limply to gesture to it. He found it quickly and pushed the door open, pulling us both into the warm moonlight of my kitchen.</p><p> </p><p>He didn’t stop there, instead walking over to my open bedroom and finally setting me down on my bed. I lay limp where he placed me, looking up at him with dazed eyes.</p><p> </p><p>Kakashi stood there for a moment, hands in pockets, his hair catching the white light. I reached out towards it.</p><p> </p><p>“Pretty,” I knew that it was my voice, but it sounded far away, “Hair.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>I felt heavy. I felt… like I had on that one night at university. So many years ago. Another life ago. Drunk, hot on a sweaty night, falling in love for the first time listening to a girl read me a poem by that man whose name was now forever lost…</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>How had it gone again?</em>
</p><p> </p><p>My eyes fluttered closed again, but I felt a solid weight dip against the bed.</p><p> </p><p>“Do you want me to stay?”</p><p> </p><p>Kakashi’s voice was soft, unsure.</p><p> </p><p>“Please,” I replied, hoping it was enough.</p><p> </p><p>His weight settled next to me, arms wrapped around me, and the heat brought me back down.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Oh yes. </em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>The weight… </em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>The weight of the world is love.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>That was how it had started. I understood now.</p><p> </p><p>I fell into comfortable darkness as Kakashi’s hands rubbed slow circles against my back, and the words of that poem danced around in my frayed mind, the horror of my new world pushing, melding into the sweetness of the night that I shouldn’t have lived.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>EndNote Edit One: the poem that Yasuko is trying to remember is 'Song' by Allen Ginsberg. Allen Ginsberg was a member of the Beat Generation - he had quite an interesting life and 'Song' is one of my favorite poems. I remember reading it for the first time when I was skipping out on class and hiding in my car waiting for the day to be over. A very fond memory for me now haha xx</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hi there! This is the first thing I've posted on AO3 and the first fic I've written in years. Just wanted something to have fun with - I have an idea of where I want this to go but it might take some time to get there. Will try to get through the groundwork as quickly as possible. Thanks for reading!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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